MOB. Swift informs us, in his Art of Polite Conversation, that MOB was, in his time, the slang abbreviation of Mobility, just as NOB is of Nobility at the present day.—See SCHOOL.

MOBILITY, the populace; or, according to Burke, the “great unwashed.” Johnson calls it a cant term, although Swift notices it as a proper expression.

MOBS, companions; MOBSMEN, dressy swindlers.

MOKE, a donkey.—Gipsey.

MOKO, a name given by sportsmen to pheasants killed by mistake in partridge shooting during September, before the pheasant shooting comes in. They pull out their tails, and roundly assert they are no pheasants at all, but MOKOS.

MOLL, a girl; nickname for Mary.—Old cant.

MOLL’D, followed, or accompanied by a woman.

MOLLISHER, a low girl or woman; generally a female cohabiting with a man, and jointly getting their living by thieving.

MOLLSACK, a reticule, or market basket.

MOLL-TOOLER, a female pickpocket.

MOLLYCODDLE, an effeminate man; one who caudles amongst the women, or does their work.

MOLLYGRUBS, or MULLIGRUBS, stomach-ache, or sorrow—which to the costermonger is much the same, as he believes, like the ancients, that the viscera is the seat of all feeling.

MOLROWING, “out on the spree,” in company with so-called “gay women.” In allusion to the amatory serenadings of the London cats.

MONEKEER, a person’s name or signature.

MONKEY, spirit, or ill temper; “to get one’s MONKEY up,” to rouse his passion. A man is said to have his MONKEY up, or the MONKEY on his back, when he is “riled,” or out of temper; also to have his BACK or HUMP up.

MONKEY, a padlock.

MONKEY, the instrument which drives a rocket.—Army.

MONKEY, £500.

MONKEY WITH A LONG TAIL, a mortgage.—Legal.

MONKEY’S ALLOWANCE, to get blows instead of alms, more kicks than half-pence.

MONKERY, the country, or rural districts. Old word for a quiet, or monastic life.—Hall.

MOOCH, to sponge; to obtrude yourself upon friends just when they are about to sit down to dinner, or other lucky time—of course quite accidentally.—Compare HULK. To slink away, and allow your friend to pay for the entertainment. In Wiltshire, ON THE MOUTCH is to shuffle.

MOOCHING, or ON THE MOOCH, on the look out for any articles or circumstances which may be turned to a profitable account; watching in the streets for odd jobs, scraps, horses to hold, &c.

MOOE, the mouth; the female generative organ.—Gipsey and Hindoo. Shakespere has MOE, to make mouths.

MOON, a month—generally used to express the length of time a person has been sentenced by the magistrate; thus “ONE MOON” is one month.—See DRAG. It is a curious fact that the Indians of America and the roaming vagabonds of England should both calculate time by the MOON.

MOONEY, intoxicated.—Household Words, No. 183.

MOONLIGHT, or MOONSHINE, smuggled gin.

MOONSHINE, palaver, deception, humbug.

MOP, a hiring place (or fair) for servants. Steps are being taken to put down these assemblages, which have been proved to be greatly detrimental to the morality of the poor.

MOP UP, to drink, or empty a glass.—Old.

MOPS AND BROOMS, intoxicated.—Ho. Words, No. 183.

MOPUSSES, money; “MOPUSSES ran taper,” money ran short.

MORRIS, to decamp, be off. Probably from the ancient MORESCO, or MORRIS DANCE.

MORTAR-BOARD, the term given by the vulgar to the square college caps.

MOTT, a girl of indifferent character. Formerly Mort. Dutch, MOTT-KAST, a harlotry.

MOUNTAIN-DEW, whisky, advertised as from the Highlands.

MOUNTAIN PECKER, a sheep’s head.—See JEMMY.

MOUNTER, a false swearer. Derived from the borrowed clothes men used to MOUNT, or dress in, when going to swear for a consideration.

MOUTHPIECE, a lawyer, or counsel.

MOVE, a “dodge,” or cunning trick; “up to a move or two,” acquainted with tricks.

MRS. JONES, the house of office, a water-closet.

MRS. HARRIS and MRS. GAMP, nicknames of the Morning Herald and Standard newspapers, while united under the proprietorship of Mr. Baldwin. Mrs. Gamp, a monthly nurse, was a character in Mr. Charles Dickens’ popular novel of Martin Chuzzlewit, who continually quoted an imaginary Mrs. Harris in attestation of the superiority of her qualifications, and the infallibility of her opinions; and thus afforded a parallel to the two newspapers, who appealed to each other as independent authorities, being all the while the production of the same editorial staff.

MUCK, to beat, or excel; “it’s no use, luck’s set in him; he’d MUCK a thousand.”—Mayhew, vol. i, p. 18. To run a muck, or GO A MUCKER, to rush headlong into certain ruin. From a certain religious phrenzy, which is common among the Malays, causing one of them, kreese in hand, to dash into a crowd and devote every one to death he meets with, until he is himself killed, or falls from exhaustion—Malay, AMOK, slaughter.

MUCK OUT, to clean out,—often applied to one utterly ruining an adversary in gambling. From the Provincial MUCK, dirt.

MUCK-SNIPE, one who has been “MUCKED OUT,” or beggared, at gambling.

MUCKENDER, or MUCKENGER, a pocket handkerchief.—Old.

MUDFOG, “The British Association for the Promotion of Science.”—University.

MUD-LARKS, men and women who, with their clothes tucked above knee, grovel through the mud on the banks of the Thames, when the tide is low, for silver spoons, old bottles, pieces of iron, coal, or any articles of the least value, deposited by the retiring tide, either from passing ships or the sewers. Occasionally those men who cleanse the sewers, with great boots and sou’ wester hats.

MUFF, a silly, or weak-minded person; MUFF has been defined to be “a soft thing that holds a lady’s hand without squeezing it.”

MUFFIN-WORRY, an old ladies’ tea party.

MUFTI, the civilian dress of a naval or military officer when off duty.—Anglo Indian.

MUG, to fight, or chastise.

MUG, “to MUG oneself,” to get tipsy.

MUG, the mouth, or face.—Old.

MUGGING, a thrashing,—synonymous with slogging, both terms of the “ring,” and frequently used by fighting men.

MUGGY, drunk.

MUG-UP, to paint one’s face.—Theatrical. To “cram” for an examination.—Army.

MULL, “to make a MULL of it,” to spoil anything, or make a fool of oneself.—Gipsey.

MULLIGRUBS.—Vide MOLLYGRUBS.

MULTEE KERTEVER, very bad.—Italian, MOLTO CATTIVO.

MUMMER, a performer at a travelling theatre.—Ancient. Rustic performers at Christmas in the West of England.

MUMPER, a beggar.—Gipsey. Possibly a corruption of MUMMER.

MUNDUNGUS, trashy tobacco. Spanish, MONDONGO, black pudding.

MUNGARLY, bread, food. Mung is an old word for mixed food, but MUNGARLY is doubtless derived from the Lingua Franca, MANGIAR, to eat.—See the following.

MUNGARLY CASA, a baker’s shop; evidently a corruption of some Lingua Franca phrase for an eating house. The well known “Nix mangiare” stairs at Malta derive their name from the endless beggars who lie there and shout NIX MANGIARE, i.e., “nothing to eat,” to excite the compassion of the English who land there,—an expression which exhibits remarkably the mongrel composition of the Lingua Franca, MANGIARE being Italian, and Nix an evident importation from Trieste, or other Austrian seaport.

MUNGING, or “MOUNGING,” whining, begging, muttering.—North.

MUNS, the mouth. German, MUND.—Old cant.

MURERK, the mistress of the house.—See BURERK.

MURKARKER, a monkey,—vulgar cockney pronunciation of MACAUCO, a species of monkey. Jackey Macauco was the name of a famous fighting monkey, which used about thirty years ago to display his prowess at the Westminster pit, where, after having killed many dogs, he was at last “chawed up” by a bull terrier.

MURPHY, a potato. Probably from the Irish national liking for potatoes, MURPHY being a common surname amongst the Irish.—See MIKE. Murphies (edible) are sometimes called DUNNAMANS.

MURPHY, “in the arms of MURPHY,” i.e., fast asleep. Corruption of MORPHEUS.

MUSH, an umbrella. Contraction of mushroom.

MUSH, (or MUSHROOM) FAKER, an itinerant mender of umbrellas.

MUSLIN, a woman or girl; “he picked up a bit of MUSLIN.”

MUTTON, a lewd woman.—Shakespere.

MUTTON-WALK, the saloon at Drury Lane Theatre.

MUZZLE, to fight or thrash.

MUZZLE, the mouth.

MUZZY, intoxicated.—Household Words, No. 183.

MY AUNT, a water-closet, or house of office.

MY LORD, a nickname given to a hunchback.

MY TULIP, a term of endearment used by the lower orders to persons and animals; “kim up, MY TULIP,” as the coster said to his donkey when thrashing him with an ash stick.

MY UNCLE, the pawnbroker,—generally used when any person questions the whereabouts of a domestic article, “Oh! only at MY UNCLE’S” is the reply. Up the spout has the same meaning.

NAB, to catch, to seize; “NAB the rust,” to take offence.—Ancient, fourteenth century.

NABOB, an Eastern prince, a retired Indian official,—hence a slang term for a capitalist.

NAIL, to steal, or capture; “paid on the NAIL,” i.e., ready money; NAILED, taken up, or caught—probably in allusion to the practice of NAILING bad money to the counter. We say “as dead as a DOOR-NAIL;”—why? Shakespere has the expression in Henry IV.—

A correspondent thinks the expression is only alliterative humour, and compares as “Flat as a Flounder,” “straight as a soldier,” &c.

NAM, a policeman. Evidently back slang.

NAMBY PAMBY, particular, over nice, effeminate. This, I think, was of Pope’s invention, and first applied by him to the affected short-lined verses addressed by Ambrose Phillips to Lord Carteret’s infant children.—See Johnson’s Life of Pope.

NAMUS, or NAMOUS, some one, i.e., “be off, somebody is coming.”—Back slang, but general.—See VAMOS.

NANNY-SHOP, a disreputable house.

NANTEE, not any, or “I have none.” Italian, NIENTE, nothing.—See DINARLY.

NANTEE PALAVER, no conversation, i.e., hold your tongue.—Lingua Franca.—See PALAVER.

NAP, or NAB, to take, steal, or receive; “you’ll NAP it,” i.e., you will catch a beating!—North; also old cant.—Bulwer’s Paul Clifford.

NAP, or NAPPER, a hat. From NAB, a hat, cap, or head.—Old cant.

NAP ONE’S BIB, to cry, shed tears, or carry one’s point.

NAP THE REGULARS, to divide the booty.

NAP THE TEAZE, to be privately whipped in prison.

NARK, a person in the pay of the police; a common informer; one who gets his living by laying traps for publicans, &c.

NARK, to watch, or look after, “NARK the titter;” watch the girl.

NARP, a shirt.—Scotch.

NARY ONE, provincial for NE’ER A ONE, neither.

NASTY, ill-tempered, cross-grained.

NATION, very, or exceedingly. Corruption of DAMNATION.

NATTY, pretty, neat, tidy.—Old.

NATURAL, an idiot, a simpleton.

NECK, to swallow. Neck-oil, drink of any kind.

NECK OR NOTHING, desperate.—Racing phrase.

NEDDY, a life preserver.—Contraction of KENNEDY, the name of the first man, it is said in St. Giles’, who had his head broken by a poker.—Vide Mornings at Bow Street.

NEDDY, a donkey.

NEDS, guineas. Half-neds, half-guineas.

NED STOKES, the four of spades.—North Hants.—See Gentleman’s Magazine for 1791, p. 141.

NEEDFUL, money, cash.

NEEDY, a nightly lodger, or tramp.

NEEDY MIZZLER, a shabby person; a tramp who runs away without paying for his lodging.

NESTS, varieties.—Old.

NEVER-TRUST-ME, an ordinary phrase with low Londoners, and common in Shakespere’s time, vide Twelfth Night. It is generally used instead of an oath, calling vengeance on the asseverator, if such and such does not come to pass.

NEWGATE FRINGE, or FRILL, the collar of beard worn under the chin; so called from its occupying the position of the rope when Jack Ketch operates. Another name for it is a TYBURN COLLAR.

NEWGATE KNOCKER, the term given to the lock of hair which costermongers and thieves usually twist back towards the ear. The shape is supposed to resemble the knocker on the prisoners’ door at Newgate—a resemblance that would appear to carry a rather unpleasant suggestion to the wearer. Sometimes termed a COBBLER’S KNOT, or cow-lick, which see.

NEWMARKET, in tossing halfpence, when it is agreed that the first toss shall be decisive, the play is said to be NEWMARKET.

NIBBLE, to take, or steal. Nibbler, a petty thief.

NIBS, the master, or chief person; a man with no means but high pretensions,—a “shabby genteel.”

NICK, or OLD NICK, the evil spirit.—Scandinavian.

NICK, to hit the mark; “he’s NICKED it,” i.e., won his point.

NICK-KNACK, a trifle.—Originally cant.

NIGGLING, trifling, or idling; taking short steps in walking.—North.

NIL, half; half profits, &c.

NILLY-WILLY, i.e., Nill ye, will ye, whether you will or no, a familiar version of the Latin, NOLENS VOLENS.

NIMMING, stealing. Immediately from the German, NEHMEN. Motherwell, the Scotch poet, thought the old word NIM (to snatch or pick up) was derived from nam, nam, the tiny words or cries of an infant, when eating anything which pleases its little palate. A negro proverb has the word:—

Or, in the buckra man’s language—

NINCOMPOOP, a fool, a hen pecked husband, a “Jerry Sneak.”—Corruption of non compos mentis.

NINE CORNS, a pipeful of tobacco.

NINES, “dressed up to the NINES,” in a showy or recherché manner.

NINEPENCE, “right as NINEPENCE,” all right, right to a nicety.

NIP, to steal, take up quickly.

NIPPER, a small boy. Old cant for a boy cut-purse.

NIX, nothing, “NIX my doll,” synonymous with NIX. German, NICHTS, nothing.—See MUNGARLY.

NIX! the signal word of school boys to each other that the master, or other person in authority, is approaching.

NIZZIE, a fool, a coxcomb.—Old cant, vide Triumph of Wit.

NOAH’S ARK, a long closely buttoned overcoat, recently in fashion. So named by Punch from the similarity which it exhibits to the figure of Noah and his sons in children’s toy arks.

NOB, the head—Pugilistic; “BOB A NOB,” a shilling a head. Ancient cant, NEB. Nob is an early English word, and is used in the Romance of Kynge Alisaunder (thirteenth century) for a head; originally, no doubt, the same as knob.

NOB, a person of high position, a “swell,” a nobleman,—of which word it may be an abbreviation.—See SNOB.

NOBBA, nine. Italian, NOVE; Spanish, NOVA,—the b and v being interchangeable, as Sebastópol and Sevastópol.

NOBBA SALTEE, ninepence. Lingua Franca, NOVE SOLDI.

NOBBING, collecting money; “what NOBBINGS?” i.e., how much have you got?

NOBBLE, to cheat, to overreach; to discover.

NOBBLERS, confederates of thimble-rigs, who play earnestly as if strangers to the “RIG,” and thus draw unsuspecting persons into a game.

NOBBY, or NOBBISH, fine or showy; NOBBILY, showily.—See SNOB for derivation.

NOMMUS, be off.—See NAMUS.

NO ODDS, no matter, of no consequence.—Latimer’s sermon before Edward VI.

NOSE, a thief who turns informer, or Queen’s evidence; a spy or watch; “on the NOSE,” on the look out.

NOSE, “to pay through the NOSE,” to pay an extravagant price.

NOSE-BAGS, visitors at watering places, and houses of refreshment, who carry their own victuals.—Term applied by waiters.

NOSE EM, or FOGUS, tobacco.

NOSER, a bloody or contused nose.—Pugilistic.

NOUSE, comprehension, perception.—Old, apparently from the Greek, νοῦς.

NUB, a husband.

NUDDIKIN, the head.

For Cant Numerals, see under SALTEE.

NURSE, a curious term lately applied to competition in omnibuses. Two omnibuses are placed on the road to NURSE, or oppose, each opposition “buss,” one before, the other behind. Of course the central or NURSED buss has very little chance, unless it happens to be a favourite with the public. Nurse, to cheat, or swindle; trustees are said to NURSE property, i.e., gradually eat it up themselves.

NUT, to be “off one’s NUT,” to be in liquor, or “ALL MOPS AND BROOMS.”

NUTS, to be NUTS upon anything or person is to be pleased with or fond of it; a self-satisfied man is said to be NUTS upon himself. Nutted, taken in by a man who professed to be NUTS upon you.

NUTTY, amorous.

NYMPH OF THE PAVE (French, PAVÉ), a street-walker, a girl of the town.

OAK, the outer door of college rooms; to “sport one’s OAK,” to be “not at home” to visitors.—See SPORT.—University.

OBFUSCATED, intoxicated.

OBSTROPOLOUS, Cockney corruption of obstreperous.

OCHRE, money, generally applied to gold, for a very obvious reason.

O’CLOCK, or A’CLOCK, “like ONE O’CLOCK,” a favourite comparison with the lower orders, implying briskness; “to know what O’CLOCK it is,” to be wide awake, sharp, and experienced.

ODD MAN, a street or public-house game at tossing. The number of players is three. Each tosses up a coin, and if two come down head, and one tail, or vice versâ, the last is ODD MAN, and loses or wins as may have been agreed upon. Frequently used to victimise a “flat.” If all three be alike, then the toss goes for nothing, and the coppers are again “skied.”

OD DRAT IT, OD RABBIT (Colman’s Broad Grins), OD’S BLOOD, and all other exclamations commencing with OD, are nothing but softened or suppressed oaths. Od is a corruption of GOD, and DRAT of ROT.—Shakespere.

OFF AND ON, vacillating; “an OFF AND ON kind of a chap,” one who is always undecided.

OFF ONE’S FEED, real or pretended want of appetite.—Stable slang.

OFFISH, distant, not familiar.

OFFICE, “to give the OFFICE,” to give a hint dishonestly to a confederate, thereby enabling him to win a game or bet, the profits being shared.

OGLE, to look, or reconnoitre.

OGLES, eyes.—Old cant. French, ŒIL.

OIL OF PALMS, or PALM OIL, money.

OINTMENT, medical student slang for butter.

OLD GOOSEBERRY (see GOOSEBERRY), OLD HARRY (query, Old Hairy?), OLD SCRATCH, all synonymes for the devil.

OLD GOWN, smuggled tea.

OLD HORSE, salt junk, or beef.—Sea.

OLD TOM, gin.

OLIVER, the moon; “OLIVER don’t widdle,” i.e., the moon does not shine. Nearly obsolete.—Bulwer’s Paul Clifford.

OMEE, a master or landlord; “the OMEE of the cassey’s a nark on the pitch,” the master of the house will not let us perform. Italian, UOMO, a man; “UOMO DELLA CASA,” the master of the house.

ON, “to be ON,” in public-house or vulgar parlance, is synonymous with getting “tight,” or tipsy; “it’s Saint Monday with him, I see he’s ON again,” i.e., drunk as usual, or ON the road to it.

ON THE FLY, getting one’s living by thieving or other illegitimate means; the phrase is applied to men the same as ON THE LOOSE is to women.

ON THE LOOSE, obtaining a living by prostitution, in reality, on the streets. The term is applied to females only, excepting in the case of SPREES, when men carousing are sometimes said to be ON THE LOOSE.

ON THE NOSE, on the watch or look out.—See NOSE.

ON THE SHELF, to be transported. With old maids it has another and very different meaning.

ON THE TILES, out all night “on the spree,” or carousing,—in allusion to the London cats on their amatory excursions.

ONE IN TEN, a parson.

ONE-ER, that which stands for ONE, a blow that requires no more. In Dickens’ amusing work, the “Marchioness” tells Dick Swiveller that “her missus is a ONE-ER at cards.”

ORACLE, “to work the ORACLE,” to plan, manœuvre, to succeed by a wily stratagem.

OTTER, eightpence.—Italian, OTTO, eight.

OTTOMY, a thin man, a skeleton, a dwarf. Vulgar pronunciation of Anatomy. Shakespere has ’ATOMY.

OUT, a dram glass. The habitué of a gin-shop, desirous of treating a brace of friends, calls for a quartern of gin and three OUTS, by which he means three glasses which will exactly contain the quartern.

OUT AND OUT, prime, excellent, of the first quality. Out and outer, “one who is of an OUT AND OUT description,” UP to anything.

An ancient MS. has this couplet, which shows the antiquity of the phrase—

OUT OF COLLAR, out of place,—in allusion to servants. When in place, the term is COLLARED UP.—Theatrical and general.

OUT ON THE LOOSE, “on the spree,” in search of adventures.

OUT ON THE PICKAROON. Picarone is Spanish for a thief, but this phrase does not necessarily mean anything dishonest, but ready for anything in the way of excitement to turn up; also to be in search of anything profitable.

OUT-SIDER, a person who does not habitually bet, or is not admitted to the “Ring.” Also, a horse whose name does not appear among the “favourites.”

OVER! or OVER THE LEFT, i.e., the left shoulder—a common exclamation of disbelief in what is being narrated,—implying that the results of a proposed plan will be “over the left,” i.e., in the wrong direction, loss instead of gain.

OWNED, a canting expression used by the ultra-Evangelicals when a popular preacher makes many converts. The converts themselves are called his “SEALS.”

P’s AND Q’s, particular points, precise behaviour; “mind your P’S AND Q’S,” be very careful. Originating, according to some, from the similarity of p’s and q’s in the hornbook alphabet, and therefore the warning of an old dame to her pupils; or, according to others, of a French dancing master to his pupils, to mind their pieds (feet) and queues (wigs) when making a bow.

PACK, to go away; “now, then, PACK off there,” i.e., be off, don’t stop here any longer. Old, “Make speede to flee, be PACKING and awaie.”—Baret’s Alvearie, 1580.

PAD, “to stand PAD,” to beg with a small piece of paper pinned on the breast, inscribed “I’m starving.”

PAD, the highway; a tramp.—Lincolnshire.

PAD THE HOOF, to walk, not ride; “PADDING THE HOOF on the high toby,” tramping or walking on the high road.

PADDING KENS, or CRIBS, tramps’ and boys’ lodging houses.

PADDLE, to go or run away.—Household Words, No. 183.

PADDY, PAT, or PADDY WHACK, an Irishman.

PADRE, a clergyman.—Anglo Indian.

PAL, a partner, acquaintance, friend, an accomplice. Gipsey, a brother.

PALAVER, to ask, or talk,—not deceitfully, as the term usually signifies; “PALAVER to the nibs for a shant of bivvy,” ask the master for a quart of beer. In this sense used by tramps.—Derived from French, PARLER.

PALL, to detect.

PALM OIL, or PALM SOAP, money.

PALMING, robbing shops by pairs,—one thief bargaining with apparent intent to purchase, whilst the other watches his opportunity to steal. An amusing example of PALMING came off some time since. A man entered a “ready made” boot and shoe shop and desired to be shown a pair of boots,—his companion staying outside and amusing himself by looking in at the window. The one who required to be fresh shod was apparently of a humble and deferential turn, for he placed his hat on the floor directly he stepped in the shop. Boot after boot was tried on until at last a fit was obtained,—when lo, forth came a man, snatched up the customer’s hat left near the door, and down the street he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Away went the customer after his hat, and Crispin, standing at the door, clapped his hands and shouted “go it, you’ll catch him,”—little thinking that it was a concerted trick, and that neither his boots nor the customer would ever return. Palming sometimes refers to secreting money or rings in the hand.

PAM, the knave of clubs; or, in street phraseology, Lord Palmerston.

PANNAM, food, bread.—Lingua Franca, PANNEN; Latin, PANIS; Ancient cant, YANNAM.

PANNAM-BOUND, stopping the prison food or rations to a prisoner. PANNAM-STRUCK, very hungry.

PANNIKIN, a small pan.

PANNY, a house—public or otherwise; “flash PANNY,” a public-house used by thieves; PANNY MEN, housebreakers.

PANTILE, a hat. The term PANTILE is properly applied to the mould into which the sugar is poured which is afterwards known as “loaf sugar.” Thus, PANTILE, from whence comes the phrase “a sugar-loaf hat,” originally signified a tall, conical hat, in shape similar to that usually represented as the head gear of a bandit. From PANTILE, the more modern slang term TILE has been derived. Halliwell gives PANTILE SHOP, a meeting-house.

PANTILER, a dissenting preacher. Probably from the practice of the Quakers, and many dissenters, of not removing the hat in a place of worship.

PAPER MAKERS, rag gatherers and gutter rakers—similar to the chiffonniers of Paris. Also, those men who tramp through the country, and collect rags on the pretence that they are agents to a paper mill.

PAPER WORKERS, the wandering vendors of street literature; street folk who sell ballads, dying speeches and confessions, sometimes termed RUNNING STATIONERS.

PARADIS, French slang for the gallery of a theatre, “up amongst the GODS,” which see.

PARISH LANTERN, the moon.

PARNEY, rain; “dowry of PARNEY,” a quantity of rain. Anglo-Indian slang from the Hindoo, PÃNI, water; Gipsey, PANÉ. Old Indian officers always call brandy and water BRANDY PAWNEE.

PASH, to strike; now corrupted to BASH, which see.—Shakes.

PASTE-HORN, the nose. Shoemakers nickname any shopmate with a large nose “old PASTEHORN,” from the horn in which they keep their paste.

PATENT COAT, a coat with the pockets inside the skirts,—termed PATENT from the difficulty of picking them.

PATTER, a speech or discourse, a pompous street oration, a judge’s summing up, a trial. Ancient word for muttering. Probably from the Latin, PATER NOSTER, or Lord’s Prayer. This was said, before the Reformation, in a low voice by the priest, until he came to, “and lead us not into temptation,” to which the choir responded, “but deliver us from evil.” In our reformed Prayer Book this was altered, and the Lord’s Prayer directed to be said “with a loud voice.”—Dr. Pusey takes this view of the derivation in his Letter to the Bishop of London, p. 78, 1851. Scott uses the word twice in Ivanhoe and the Bride of Lammermoor.

PATTER, to talk. Patter flash, to speak the language of thieves, talk cant.

PATTERERS, men who cry last dying speeches, &c., in the streets, and those who help off their wares by long harangues in the public thoroughfares. These men, to use their own term “are the haristocracy of the street sellers,” and despise the costermongers for their ignorance, boasting that they live by their intellect. The public, they say, do not expect to receive from them an equivalent for their money—they pay to hear them talk.—Mayhew. Patterers were formerly termed “mountebanks.”

PAWS, hands.

PAY, to beat a person, or “serve them out.” Originally a nautical term, meaning to stop the seams of a vessel with pitch (French, POIX); “here’s the d——l to PAY, and no pitch hot,” said when any catastrophe occurs which there is no means of averting; “to PAY over face and eyes, as the cat did the monkey;” “to PAY through the nose,” to give a ridiculous price.—whence the origin? Shakespere uses PAY in the sense of to beat, or thrash.

PEACH, to inform against or betray. Webster states that impeach is now the modification mostly used, and that PEACH is confined principally to the conversation of thieves and the lower orders.

PEACOCK HORSE, amongst undertakers, is one with a showy tail and mane, and holds its head up well,—che va favorreggiando, &c., Italian.

PEAKING, remnants of cloth.

PECK, food; “PECK and booze,” meat and drink.—Lincolnshire. Ancient cant, PEK, meat.

PECKER, “keep your PECKER up,” i.e., don’t get down-hearted,—literally, keep your beak or head well up, “never say die!”

PECKISH, hungry. Old cant, PECKIDGE, meat.

PEEL, to strip, or disrobe.—Pugilistic.

PEELER, a policeman; so called from Sir Robert Peel (see BOBBY); properly applied to the Irish constabulary rather than the City police, the former force having been established by Sir Robert Peel.

PEEPERS, eyes; “painted PEEPERS,” eyes bruised or blackened from a blow.

PEERY, suspicious, or inquisitive.

PEG, brandy and soda water.

PEG, “to PEG away,” to strike, run, or drive away; “PEG a hack,” to drive a cab; “take down a PEG or two,” to check an arrogant or conceited person.

PEG, a shilling.—Scotch.

PEG-TOPS, the loose trousers now in fashion, small at the ankle and swelling upwards, in imitation of the Zouave costume.

PENNY GAFFS, shops turned into temporary theatres (admission one penny), where dancing and singing take place every night. Rude pictures of the performers are arranged outside to give the front a gaudy and attractive look, and at night-time coloured lamps and transparencies are displayed to draw an audience.

PENNY-A-LINER, a contributor of local news, accidents, fires, scandal, political and fashionable gossip, club jokes, and anecdotes, to a newspaper; not regularly “on the paper;” one who is popularly believed to be paid for each contribution at the rate of a penny a line, and whose interest is, therefore, that his article should be horribly stuffed with epithets.

PENISULAR, or MOLL TOOLER, a female pickpocket.

PENSIONER, a man of the lowest morals who lives off the miserable earnings of a prostitute.

PEPPER, to thrash, or strike.—Pugilistic, but used by Shakespere.—East.

PERCH, or ROOST, a resting place; “I’m off to PERCH,” i.e., I am going to bed.

PERSUADERS, spurs.

PESKY, an intensitive expression, implying annoyance; a PESKY, troublesome fellow. Corruption of PESTILENT?

PETER, a partridge.—Poacher’s term.

PETER, a bundle, or valise.—Bulwer’s Paul Clifford.

PETER, to run short, or give out.

PETERER, or PETERMAN, one who follows hackney and stage coaches, and cuts off the portmanteaus and trunks from behind.—Nearly obsolete. Ancient term for a fisherman, still used at Gravesend.

PETTICOAT, a woman.

PEWTER, money, like TIN, used generally to signify silver; also, a pewter-pot.

PHYSOG, or PHIZ, the face. Swift uses the latter. Corruption of physiognomy.

PIC., the Piccadilly Saloon.

PICK, “to PICK oneself up,” to recover after a beating or illness; “to PICK a man up,” “to do,” or cheat him.

PICKERS, the hands.—Shakespere.

PICKLE, a miserable or comical position; “he is in a sad PICKLE,” said of any one who has fallen into the gutter, or got besmeared. “A PICKLE herring,” a comical fellow, a merry Andrew.—Old.

PICKLES! gammon.

PIECE, a contemptuous term for a woman; a strumpet.—Shakespere.

PIG, or SOW’S BABY, a sixpence.

PIG, a mass of metal,—so called from its being poured in a fluid state from a sow, which see.—Workmen’s term.

PIG AND TINDER-BOX, the vulgar rendering of the well-known tavern sign, “Elephant and Castle.”

PEPPER-BOXES, the buildings of the Royal Academy and National Gallery, in Trafalgar-square. The name was first given by a wag, in allusion to the cupolas erected by Wilkins, the architect, upon the roof, and which at a distance suggest to the stranger the fact of their being enlarged PEPPER-BOXES, from their form and awkward appearance.—See BOILERS.

PIGEON, a gullible or soft person. The French slang, or argot, has the word PIGEON, dupe—“PECHON, PESCHON DE RUBY, apprenti gueux, enfant (sans doute dérobé).” The vagabonds and brigands of Spain also use the word in their Germania, or Robbers’ Language, PALOMO (pigeon), ignorant, simple.

PIGEON, or BLUEY CRACKING, breaking into empty houses and stealing lead.

PIG-HEADED, obstinate.

PIG’S WHISPER, a low or inaudible whisper; also a short space of time, synonymous with COCKSTRIDE, i.e., cock’s tread.

PIKE, to run away.

PIKE, a turnpike; “to bilk a PIKE,” to cheat the keeper of the toll-gate.

PILL, a doctor—Military. Pill-driver, a peddling apothecary.

PIN, “to put in the PIN,” to refrain from drinking. From the ancient peg tankard, which was furnished with a row of PINS, or pegs, to regulate the amount which each person was to drink. A MERRY PIN, a roisterer.

PINCH, to steal, or cheat; also, to catch, or apprehend.

PINDARIC HEIGHTS, studying the odes of Pindar.—Oxford.

PINK, to stab, or pierce.

PINK, the acmé of perfection.—Shakespere.

PINNERS-UP, sellers of old songs pinned against a wall, or framed canvas.

PINS, legs.

PIPE, to shed tears, or bewail; “PIPE one’s eye.”—Sea term.