Blafarde (cads’), death.

Blague, f. Literally facility of speech, not of a very high order; talk; humbug; fib; chaff; joke. Avoir de la ——, to have a ready tongue. N’avoir que la ——, to be a facile utterer of empty words. Avoir la —— du métier, to be an adept in showing off knowledge of things relating to one’s profession. Nous avons fait deux heures de ——, we talked together for two hours. Pas de ——! none of your nonsense; let us be serious. Pousser une ——, to cram up; to joke. Sans ——, I am not joking. Une bonne ——, a good joke; a good story. Une mauvaise ——, a bad, ill-natured joke; bad trick. Quelle ——, what humbug! what a story! Ne faire que des blagues is said of a literary man whose productions are of no importance. (Popular) Blague sous l’aisselle! no more humbugging! I am not joking! —— dans le coin! joking apart; seriously.

Blaguer (familiar), to chat; to talk; to joke; not to be in earnest; to draw the long-bow; to quiz, to chaff, to humbug one, “to pull the leg;” to make a jaunty show of courage. Tu blagues tout le temps, you talk all the time. Il avait l’air de blaguer mais il n’était pas à la noce, he made a show of bravery, but he was far from being comfortable.

Blagues à tabac, f. (popular), withered bosoms.

Blagueur, blagueuse (familiar), humbug; story-teller; one who rails at, scoffer.

Blaichard (popular), clerk, or “quill-driver.”

Et les ouvriers en vidant à midi une bonne chopine, la trogne allumée, les regards souriants, se moquent des déjetés, des blaichards.—Richepin, Le Pavé.

Blair, blaire, m. (popular), nose, “boko,” “smeller,” “snorter,” or “conk.” Se piquer le ——, to get tipsy. See Se sculpter.

Blaireau, m. (military), recruit, or “Johnny raw;” a broom; foolish young man who aspires to literary honours and who squanders his money in the company of journalistic Bohemians.

Blanc, m. (popular), street-walker; white wine; white brandy; one-franc piece. (Printers’) Jeter du ——, to interline. (Thieves’) N’être pas ——, to have a misdeed on one’s conscience; to be liable to be “wanted.” (Military) Faire faire —— à quelqu’un de sa bourse, to draw freely on another’s purse; to live at another’s expense in a mean and paltry manner, “to spunge.” (Familiar) Blanc, one of the Legitimist party. The appellation used to be given in 1851 to Monarchists or Bonapartists.

Blanchemont, m. (thieves’), pivois de ——, white wine.

Blanches, f. pl. (printers’). The different varieties of type are: “blanches, grasses, maigres, allongées, noires, larges, ombrées, perlées, l’Anglaise, l’Américaine, la grosse Normande.”

Blanchi, adj. (popular), mal ——, negro, or “darkey.”

Blanchir (journalists’), to make many breaks in one’s manuscript, much fresh-a-lining.

Blanchisseur, m. (popular), barrister; (literary) one who revises a manuscript, who gives it the proper literary form.

Blanchisseuse de tuyaux de pipe (popular), variety of prostitute. See Gadoue.

Blanc-partout, m. (popular), pastry-cook’s boy.

Plus généralement connu sous le nom de gâte-sauce, désigné aussi sous le nom de blanc-partout, le patronnet est ce petit bout d’homme que l’on rencontre environ tous les cinq cents pas.—Richepin, Le Pavé.

Blancs, m. pl. (familiar), d’Eu, partisans of the D’Orléans family; —— d’Espagne, Carlists.

Blanc-vilain, m. (popular), man whose functions consist in throwing poisoned meat to wandering dogs.

Blanquette, f. (thieves’), silver coin; silver plate.

Il tira de sa poche onze couverts d’argent et deux montres d’or qu’il posa sur le guéridon. 400 balles tout cela, ce n’est pas cher, les bogues d’Orient et la blanquette, allons aboule du carle.—Vidocq, Mémoires.

Blanquetter (thieves’), to silver.

Blanquettier (thieves’), silverer.

Blard, or blavard, m. (thieves’), shawl.

Blasé, e, adj. (thieves’), swollen. From the German blasen, to blow.

Blave, blavin, m. (thieves’), handkerchief, “muckinger” (from the old word blave, blue); necktie, “neckinger.”

Blavin, m. (thieves’), pocket-pistol, “pops.” An allusion to blavin, pocket-handkerchief.

Blaviniste, m. (thieves’), pickpocket who devotes his attention to handkerchiefs, “stook hauler.”

Blé, blé battu, m. (popular), money, “loaver.”

Blèche, adj., middling; bad; ugly. Faire banque ——, not to get any pay. Faire ——, to make a “bad” at a game, such as the game of fives for instance.

Bleu, m. (military), recruit, or “Johnny raw;” new-comer at the cavalry school of Saumur; (thieves’) cloak; also name given to Republican soldiers by the Royalist rebels of Brittany in 1793. After 1815 the Monarchists gave the appellation to Bonapartists. (Popular) Petit ——, red wine. Avoir un coup d’——, to be slightly tipsy, “elevated.” See Pompette.

(Familiar) Bleu, adj. astounding; incredible; hard to stomach. En être ——; en bailler tout ——; en rester tout ——, to be stupefied, much annoyed or disappointed, “to look blue;” to be suddenly in a great rage. (Theatrical) Etre ——, to be utterly worthless.

Bleue (familiar), elle est —— celle-là; en voilà une de ——; je la trouve ——, refers to anything incredible, disappointing, annoying, hard to stomach. Une colère ——, violent rage.

Blézimarder (theatrical), to interrupt an actor.

Bloc, m., military cell, prison, “mill,” “Irish theatre,” “jigger.”

Blockaus, m. (military), shako.

Blond, m. (popular), beau ——, man who is neither fair nor handsome; (thieves’) the sun.

Blonde, f. (popular), bottle of white wine; sweetheart, or “jomer;” glass of ale at certain cafés, “brune” being the denomination for porter.

Bloqué, adj. (printers’), être —— à la banque, to receive no pay.

Bloquer (military), to imprison, confine; (popular) to sell, to forsake; (printers’) to replace temporarily one letter by another, to use a “turned sort.”

Bloquir (popular), to sell.

Blot, m. (popular and thieves’), price; affair; concern in anything; share, or “whack.” Ça fait mon ——, that suits me. Nib dans mes blots, that is not my affair; that does not suit me.

Bloumard, m., bloume, f. (popular), hat, “tile.”

Blouse, f. (familiar), the working classes. Mettre quelqu’un dans la ——, to imprison, or cause one to fall into a snare. Une blouse is properly a billiard pocket.

Blousier, m. (familiar), cad, “rank outsider.”

Bobe, m. (thieves’), watch, “tattler.” Faire le ——, to ease a drunkard of his watch, “to claim a canon’s red toy.”

Bobêchon, m. (popular), head, “nut.” Se monter le ——, to be enthusiastic.

Bobelins, m. pl. (popular), boots, “hock-dockies,” or “trotter-cases.” See Ripatons.

Bobinasse, f. (popular), head, “block.”

Bobine, f. (popular), face, “mug,” (old word bobe, grimace). Une sale ——, ugly face. Plus de fil sur la ——. See Avoir. Se ficher de la —— à quelqu’un, to laugh at one.

Bobino. See Bobe.

Bobonne, for bonne, nursery-maid; servant girl, or “slavey.”

Bobosse, f. (popular), humpback, “lord.”

Bobottier, m. (popular), one who complains apropos of nothing. From bobo, a slight ailment.

Boc, m. (popular), house of ill-fame, “nanny-shop.”

Bocal, m. (popular), lodgings, “crib;” stomach, “bread basket.” Se coller quelque chose dans le ——, to eat. Se rincer le ——, to drink, “to wet one’s whistle.” (Thieves’) Bocal, pane, glass.

Bocard, m. (popular), café; house of ill-fame, “nanny-shop;” —— panné, small coffee-shop.

Bocari, m. (thieves’), the town of Beaucaire.

Boche, m. (popular), rake, “rip,” “molrower,” or “beard splitter.” Tête de ——, an expression applied to a dull-witted person. Literally wooden head. Also a German.

Bocker (familiar), to drink bocks.

Bocotter, to grumble; to mutter. Literally to bleat like a bocquotte, goat.

Bocque, bogue, m. (thieves’), watch, “tattler.”

Bocson (common), house of ill-fame, “nanny-shop;” (thieves’) lodgings, “dossing-ken.”

Bœuf, m. (popular), king of playing cards; shoemaker’s workman, or journeyman tailor, who does rough jobs. Avoir son ——, to get angry, “to nab the rust.” Etre le ——, to work without profit. Se mettre dans le ——, to be reduced in circumstances, an allusion to bœuf bouilli, very plain fare. (Printers’) Bœuf, composition of a few lines done for an absentee. Bœuf, adj., extraordinary, “stunning;” enormous; synonymous of “chic” at the Ecole Saint-Cyr; (cads’) pleasant.

Bœufier, m. (popular), man of choleric disposition, one prone “to nab his rust.”

Boffete, f., box on the ear, “buck-horse.” From the old word buffet.

Bog, or bogue, f. (thieves’), watch; —— en jonc, —— d’orient, gold watch, “red ’un,” or “red toy;” —— en plâtre, silver watch, “white ’un.”

Boguiste (thieves’), watch-maker.

Boire (printers’), de l’encre is said of one who on joining a party of boon companions finds all the liquor has been disposed of. He will then probably exclaim,

Est-ce que vous croyez que je vais boire de l’encre?—Boutmy.

(Familiar) —— dans la grande tasse, to be drowned; (actors’) —— du lait, to obtain applause; —— une goutte, to be hissed, “to be goosed.”

Bois, m. (cads’), pourri, tinder; (thieves’) —— tortu, vine. (Theatrical) Avoir du ——, or mettre du ——, to have friends distributed here and there among the spectators, whose applause excites the enthusiasm of the audience. Literally to put on fuel.

Boisseau, m. (popular), shako; tall hat, “chimney pot.” For synonyms see Tubard; litre wine bottle.

Boissonner (popular), to drink heavily, “to swill.”

Boissonneur (popular), assiduous frequenter of wine-shop, a “lushington.”

Boissonnier (popular), one who drinks heavily, a “lushington.”

Boîte, f. (familiar and popular), mean house, lodging-house, or restaurant; trading establishment managed in an unbusiness-like manner; one’s employer’s establishment; workshop; crammer’s establishment; disorderly household; carriage, or “trap;” —— à cornes, hat or cap; —— à dominos, coffin, “cold meat box;” —— à gaz, stomach; —— à surprises, the head of a learned man; —— à violon, coffin; —— au sel, head, “tibby;” —— aux cailloux, prison, “stone-jug;” —— d’échantillons, latrine tub; (thieves’) —— à Pandore, box containing soft wax for taking imprints of keyholes; (military) guard-room, “jigger;” —— aux réflexions, cells. Boulotter de la ——, coucher à la ——, to get frequently locked up. Grosse ——, prison. (Printers) Boîte, printer’s shop, and more particularly one of the inferior sort.

“C’est une boîte,” dit un vieux singe; “il y a toujours mèche, mais hasard! au bout de la quinzaine, banque blèche.”

Faire sa ——, to distribute into one’s case. Pilleur de ——, or fricoteur, one who takes on the sly type from fellow compositor’s case.

Boiter (popular), des calots, to squint, to be “boss-eyed;” (thieves’) —— des chasses, to squint, to be “squinny-eyed.”

Boléro, m. (familiar), a kind of lady’s hat, Spanish fashion.

Bolivar, m. (popular), hat, “tile.”

Bombe, f. (popular), wine measure, about half a litre; (military) —— de vieux oint, bladder of lard. Gare la ——! look out for squalls!

Bombé, m. (popular), hunchback, “lord.”

Bon, man to be relied on in any circumstance; one who is “game;” man wanted by the police. Etre le ——, to be arrested, or the right man. Vous êtes —— vous! you amuse me! well, that’s good! (Printers’) Bon, proof which bears the author’s intimation, “bon à tirer,” for press. Avoir du ——, to have some composition not entered in one’s account, and reserved for the next. (Familiar) Bon jeune homme, candid young man, in other terms greenhorn; (popular) —— pour cadet is said of a dull paper, or of an unpleasant letter; —— sang de bon sang, mild oath elicited by astonishment or indignation. (Popular and familiar) Etre des bons, to be all right, safe. Nous arrivons à temps, nous sommes des bons. Le —— endroit, posteriors. Donner un coup de pied juste au —— endroit, to kick one’s behind, to “hoof one’s bum.” Arriver —— premier, to surpass all rivals, “to beat hollow.”

Bonbon, m. (popular), pimple.

Bonbonnière, f. (popular), latrine tub; —— à filous, omnibus.

Bonde (thieves’), central prison.

Bon-Dieu (soldiers’), sword. (Popular) Il n’y a pas de ——, that is, il n’y a pas de —— qui puisse empêcher cela. (Convicts’) Short diary of fatigue parties at the hulks.

Bondieusard, m. (familiar), bigot; dealer in articles used for worship in churches.

Bondieusardisme, f., bigotry.

Bondieuserie, f., article used for worship; dealing in such articles.

Bonhomme, m. (thieves’), saint. (Familiar and popular) Un ——, an individual, a “party.” Mon ——, my good fellow. Petit —— de chemin, see Aller.

Bonicard, m., bonicarde, f. (thieves’), old man, old woman.

Boniface, m. (popular), simple-minded man, “flat,” or “greenhorn.”

Bonifacement (popular), with simplicity.

Boniment, m. (familiar), puffing speech of quacks, of mountebanks, of shopmen, of street vendors, of three-card-trick sharpers, and generally clap-trap speech in recommendation or explanation of anything. Richepin, in his Pavé, gives a good specimen of the “boniment” of a “maquilleur de brèmes,” or three-card-trick sharper.

Accroupi, les doigts tripotant trois cartes au ras du sol, le pif en l’air, les yeux dansants, un voyou en chapeau melon glapit son boniment d’une voix à la fois traînante et volubile:.... C’est moi qui perds. Tant pire, mon p’tit père! Rasé, le banquier! Encore un tour, mon amour. V’là le cœur, cochon de bonheur! C’est pour finir. Mon fond, qui se fond. Trèfle qui gagne. Carreau, c’est le bagne. Cœur, du beurre, pour le voyeur. Trèfle, c’est tabac! Tabac pour papa. Qui qu’en veut? Un peu, mon neveu! La v’là. Le trèfle gagne! Le cœur perd. Le carreau perd. Voyez la danse! Ca recommence. Je le mets là. Il est ici, merci. Vous allez bien? Moi aussi. Elle passe. Elle dépasse. C’est moi qui trépasse, hélas!... Regardez bien! C’est le coup de chien. Passé! C’est assez! Enfoncé! Il y a vingt-cinque francs au jeu! &c.

Bonique, m. (thieves’), white-haired old man.

Bonir (thieves’), to talk; to say, “to patter;” —— au ratichon, to confess to a priest.

Bonisseur, m., one who makes a “boniment” (which see); (thieves’) barrister; —— de la bate, witness for the defence.

Bonjour, m. (thieves’), voleur au ——, bonjourier, or chevalier grimpant, thief who, at an early hour, enters a house or hotel, walks into a room, and appropriates any suitable article. If the person in bed wakes up, the rogue politely apologises for his pretended error. Other thieves of the same description commence operations at dinner-time. They enter a dining-room, and seize the silver plate laid out on the table. This is called “goupiner à la desserte.”

Bon motif, m. (familiar). Faire la cour à une fille pour le ——, to make love to a girl with honourable intentions.

Bonne, adj. (familiar), amusing, or the reverse. Elle est bien ——, what a good joke! what a joke! Elle est ——, celle-là! well, it is too bad! what next? (Popular) Etre à la ——, to be loved. Etre de la ——, to be lucky. Avoir à la ——, to like. Bonne fortanche, female soothsayer; —— grâce, cloth used by tailors as wrappers.

Bonnet, m., secret covenant among printers.

Espèce de ligue offensive et défensive que forment quelques compositeurs employés depuis longtemps dans une maison et qui ont tous, pour ainsi dire la tête sous le même bonnet. Rien de moins fraternel que le bonnet. Il fait la pluie et le beau temps dans un atelier, distribue les mises en page et les travaux les plus avantageux à ceux qui en font partie.—E. Boutmy, Argot des Typographes.

(Thieves’) —— carré, judge, or “cove with the jazey;” —— vert à perpète, one sentenced to penal servitude for life, or “lifer;” (popular) —— de coton, lumbering, weak man, or “sappy;” mean man, or “scurf;” —— de nuit sans coiffe, man of a melancholy disposition, or “croaker;” —— d’évêque, rump of a fowl, or “parson’s nose.” (Familiar) Bonnet, small box at theatres; —— jaune, twenty-franc coin; (military) —— de police, recruit, or “Johnny raw.”

Bonneteau, m., jeu de ——, card-sharping game; three-card trick.

Bonneteur, m., card-sharper, or “broadsman.”

Bonnichon, m. (popular), working girl’s cap.

Bono (popular), good, middling.

Bons, m. (military), la sonnerie des —— de tabac, (ironical) trumpet call for those confined to barracks.

Bordé (cocottes’), être ——, to have renounced the pleasures of love, “sua sponte,” or otherwise. Literally to be lying in bed with the bed-clothes tucked in.

Bordée, f. (familiar and popular), unlawful absence. Tirer une ——, to absent oneself for some amusement of a questionable character; to go “on the booze.”

La paie de grande quinzaine emplissait le trottoir d’une bousculade de gouapeurs tirant une bordée.—Zola.

Bordée de coups de poings, rapid delivery of blows, or “fibbing.”

Bordel, m. (popular), small faggot; tools; —— ambulant, hackney coach.

Bordelier (popular), libertine, “molrower,” or “mutton-monger.”

Borgne, m. (cads’), breech, or “blind cheek;” ace of cards; —— de cœur, ace of hearts, “pig’s eye.”

Borgner (cads’), to look.

Borgniat (popular), one-eyed man, “boss-eyed.”

Borne de vieux oint, f. (popular), bladder of lard.

Bos (Breton), well; well done!

Bosco, boscot, boscotte, stunted man or woman; hunchback.

Bosse, f. (familiar), excessive eating and drinking; excess of any kind. Se donner, se flanquer une ——, to get a good fill, “a tightener.” Se faire des bosses, to amuse oneself amazingly. Se donner, se flanquer une —— de rire, to split with laughter. Rouler sa ——, to go along. Tomber sur la ——, to attack, to “pitch into.”

Bosselard, m. (familiar), silk hat, “tile.”

Bosser (popular), to laugh; to amuse oneself.

Bossmar, m. (thieves’), hunchback, “lord.”

Bossoirs, m. pl. (sailors’), bosoms. Gabarit sans ——, thin breasts.

Botte, f. (popular), de neuf jours, or en gaîté, boot out at the sole. Jours, literally days, chinks. Du jus de ——, kicks. (Sailors’) Jus de —— premier brin, rum of the first quality.

Botter (popular), to suit. Ça me botte, that just suits me, just the thing for me. Botter, to kick one’s breech, or “to toe one’s bum,” “to root,” or “to land a kick.”

Bottier (popular), one who is fond of kicking.

Bouant, m. (cads’), pig, or “angel.” From boue, mud.

Boubane, f. (thieves’), wig, “periwinkle.”

Boubouar (Breton), ox; cattle in general.

Boubouerien (Breton), threshing machine.

Boubouille (popular), bad cookery.

Bouc, m. (popular), husband whose wife is unfaithful to him, a “cuckold.” Properly he-goat; (familiar) beard on chin, “goatee.”

Boucan, m., great uproar, “shindy.”

J’ai ma troupe, je distribue les rôles, j’organise la claque.... J’établis la contre-partie pour les interruptions et le boucan.—Macé.

(Popular) Donner un —— à quelqu’un, to give a blow or “clout” to one.

Boucanade, f. (thieves’), bribing or “greasing” a witness. Coquer la ——, to bribe. Literally to treat to drink. In Spain wine is inclosed in goatskins, hence the expression.

Boucaner (popular), to make a great uproar; to stink.

Boucaneur, m. (popular), one fond of women, who goes “molrowing,” or a “mutton-monger.”

Boucanière, f. (popular), woman too fond of men.

Boucard, m. (thieves’), shop, “chovey.”

Boucardier, m. (thieves’), thief who breaks into shops.

Bouche-l’œil, m. (prostitutes’), a five, ten, or twenty-franc piece.

Boucher (thieves’), surgeon, “nimgimmer;” (familiar) —— un trou, to pay part of debt; (popular) —— la lumière, to give a kick in the breech, “to hoof one’s bum,” or “to land a kick.” Lumière, properly touch-hole.

Bouche-trou, m. The best scholars in all University colleges are allowed to compete at a yearly examination called “grand concours.” The “bouche-trou” is one who acts as a substitute for anyone who for some reason or other finds himself prevented from competing. (Literary) Literary production used as a makeshift; (theatrical) actor whose functions are to act as a substitute in a case of emergency.

Bouchon, m. (thieves’), purse, “skin,” or “poge;” (popular) a younger brother; bottle of wine with a waxed cork; quality, kind, “kidney.” Etre d’un bon ——, to be an amusing, good-humoured fellow, or a “brick.” S’asseoir sur le ——, to sit on the bare ground.

Bouclage, m. (thieves’), handcuffs, or “bracelets;” bonds; imprisonment.

Bouclé (thieves’), imprisoned, or “slowed.”

Boucler (thieves’), to shut, “to dub;” to imprison. Bouclez la lourde! shut the door!

Boucle zoze, m. (thieves’), brown bread.

Bouder (literally to be sulky) is said of a player who does not call for fresh dominoes when he has the option of doing so; (popular) —— à l’ouvrage, to be lazy; —— au feu, to show fear; —— aux dominos, to be minus several teeth.

Boudin, m. (thieves’), bolt; stomach.

Boudiné, m. (familiar), swell, or “masher.” At the time the expression came into use, dandies sported tight or horsey-looking clothes, which imparted to the wearer some vague resemblance with a boudin, or large sausage. For list of synonymous expressions, see Gommeux.

Boudins, m. pl. (popular), fat fingers and hands.

Boueux, m. (popular), scavenger.

Bouffard, m. (popular), smoker.

Bouffarde, f. (popular), pipe, or “cutty.”

Bouffarder (popular), to smoke, to “blow a cloud.”

Bouffardière, f. (popular), an estaminet, that is, a café where smoking is allowed; chimney.

Bouffe, f. (popular), box on the ear, “buckhorse.”

Bouffe-la-Balle, m., gormandizer, or “stodger;” man with a fat, puffed-up, dumpling face.

Bouffer (military), la botte, to be bamboozled by a woman, in what circumstances it is needless to say. (Popular) Bouffer, to eat. Se —— le nez, to fight.

Bouffeter (popular), to chat.

Bouffeur, m. (popular), de blanc, prostitute’s bully, “pensioner;” —— de kilomètres, a nickname for the “Chasseurs de Vincennes,” a picked body of rifles who do duty as skirmishers and scouts, and who are noted for their agility.

Bouffiasse, m. (popular), man with fat, puffed-up cheeks.

Bougie, f. (popular), walking-stick; a blind man’s stick; —— grasse, candle.

Bougre, m. (popular), stalwart and plucky man, one who is “spry;” —— à poils, dauntless, resolute man. Bon ——, a good fellow, a “brick.” Mauvais ——, man of a snarling, evil-minded disposition. The word is used often with a disparaging sense, Bougre de cochon, you dirty pig; —— de serin, you ass. Littré derives the word bougre from Bulgarus, Bulgarian. The heretic Albigeois, who shared the religious ideas of some of the Bulgarians, received the name of “bougres.”

Bougrement (popular), extremely. C’est —— difficile, it is awfully hard.

Boui, m. (popular), house of ill-fame, “nanny-shop.”

Bouiboui, bouisbouis, m. puppet; small theatre; low music-hall; gambling place.

Bouif, m. (popular), conceited “priggish” person; bad workman.

Bouillabaisse (popular), confused medley of things, people, or ideas. Properly a Provençal dish made up of all kinds of fish boiled together, with spicy seasoning, garlic, &c.

Bouillante, f. (soldiers’), soup.

Bouillie, f. (popular), pour les chats, unsuccessful undertaking. Faire de la —— pour les chats, to do any useless thing.

Bouillon, m. (familiar and popular), rain; unsold numbers of a book or newspaper; financial or business losses; —— aveugle, thin broth; —— de canard, water; —— de veau, mild literature; —— d’onze heures, poison; drowning; —— gras, sulphuric acid (an allusion to a case of vitriol-throwing by a woman named Gras); —— pointu, bayonet thrust; clyster; —— qui chauffe, rain-cloud. Boire le ——, to die. (Fishermens’) Bouillon de harengs, shoal of herrings.

Bouillonner (popular), to suffer pecuniary losses consequent on the failure of an undertaking; to have a bad sale; to eat at a bouillon restaurant.

Bouillonneuse, f., female who prepares bouillon at restaurants.

Bouillote, f. (popular), vieille ——, old fool, “doddering old sheep’s head.”

Bouis, m. (thieves’), whip.

Bouiser, to whip, “to flush.”

Boulage, m. (popular), refusal; snub.

Boulange, f., for boulangerie.

Boulanger, m. (thieves’), charcoal dealer; the devil, “old scratch,” or “Ruffin.” Le —— qui met les damnés au four, the devil. Remercier son ——, to die.

Boulangers, m. pl. (military), formerly military convicts (an allusion to their light-coloured vestments).

Boule, f. (popular), head, “block.” Avoir la —— détraquée, à l’envers, to be crazy, “wrong in the upper storey.” Boule de jardin, bald pate, “bladder of lard;” —— de Siam, grotesque head; —— de singe, ugly face. Bonne ——, queer face, “rum phiz.” Perdre la ——, to lose one’s head. Boule de neige, negro; —— rouge, gay girl of the Quartier de la Boule Rouge, Faubourg Montmartre. Yeux en —— de loto, goggle eyes. (Military) Boule de son, loaf, bread. (Thieves’) Boule, a fair; prison loaf; —— de son étamé, white bread; —— jaune, pumpkin.

Bouleau, m. See Bûcherie.

Boule-Miche, m., abbreviation of Boulevard Saint-Michel.

Boulendos, m. (boule en dos), (popular), humpback, or “lord.”

Bouler (popular), to thrash, “to whop;” to beat at a game, to deceive, to take in. Envoyer ——, to send to the deuce (old word bouler, to roll along).

Boulet, m. (popular), bore; —— à côtes, à queue, melon; —— jaune, pumpkin.

Boulette, f. (popular), de poivrot, bunch of grapes (poivrot, slang term for drunkard).

Bouleur, m., bouleuse, f. (theatrical), actor or actress who takes the part of absentees in the performance.

Bouleux, m. (popular), skittle player.

Boulevarder, to be a frequenter of the Boulevards.

Boulevardier, m., one who frequents the Boulevards; journalist who is a frequenter of the Boulevard cafés. Esprit ——, kind of wit peculiar to the Boulevardiers.

Boulevardière, f. (familiar), prostitute of a better class who walks the Boulevards.

Depuis cinq heures du soir la Boulevardière va du grand Hôtel à Brébant avec la régularité implacable d’un balancier de pendule.—Paul Mahalin.

Boulin, m. (thieves’), hole. Caler des boulins aux lourdes, to bore holes in the doors.

Bouline, f. (swindlers’), collection of money, “break,” or “lead.”

Bouliner (thieves’), to bore holes in a wall or shutters; to steal by means of the above process.

Boulinguer (thieves’), to tear; to conduct an affair; to manage. Se ——, to know how to conduct oneself; to behave.

Bouloire, f. (popular), bowling-green.

Boulon, m. (thieves’), vol au ——, theft by means of a rod and hook passed through a hole in the shutters.

Boulonnaise (popular), girl of indifferent character who walks the Bois de Boulogne.

Boulots, m. (popular), round shaped beans.

Boulotter (thieves’), to assist a comrade; (popular) to be in good health; to be prosperous; to eat, “to grub;” —— de la galette, to spend money.

Et tout le monde se disperse, vivement, excepté les trois compères et le môme, qui rentrent d’un pas tranquille dans Paris, pour y fricoter l’argent des imbéciles, y boulotter la galette des sinves.—Richepin, Le Pavé.

Eh! bien, ma vieille branche! comment va la place d’armes? Merci, ça boulotte. Well, old cock, how are you? Thanks, I am all right.

Boum! a high-sounding, ringing word bawled out in a grave key by café waiters in order to emphasize their call for coffee to the attendant whose special duty it is to pour it out. Versez à l’as! Boum! This peculiar call was brought into fashion by a waiter of the Café de la Rotonde at the Palais Royal, whose stentorian voice made the fortune of the establishment.

Bouquet, m. (cads’), gift, present.

Bouquine, f., beard grown on the chin, or “goatee.”

Bourbe, f. (popular), the hospital of “la Maternité.”

Bourbon (popular), nose, “boko.” From nez à la Bourbon, the members of that dynasty being distinguished by prominent thick noses verging on the aquiline.

Bourdon, m. (thieves’), prostitute, “bunter;” (printers’) words left out by mistake in composing.

Bourdonniste, m. (printers’), one in the habit of making bourdons (which see).

Bourgeois, m. (thieves’), for bourg, a large village. Literally man of the middle class. The peasants give this appellation to the townspeople; a coachman to his “fare;” workmen and servants to their employer; workpeople to the master of a house; soldiers to civilians; artists and literary men use it contemptuously to denote a man with matter-of-fact, unartistic tastes, also a man outside their profession; the anarchists apply the epithet to one who does not share their views. (Popular) Mon ——, my husband, “my old man.” Eh! dites donc, ——, I say, governor. (Officers’) Se mettre en ——, to dress in plain clothes, in “mufti.” (Familiar) C’est bien ——, it is vulgar, devoid of taste.

Bourgeoisade, f., anything, whether it be deed or thought, which savours of the bourgeois’ ways; a vulgar platitude. The bourgeois, in the disparaging sense of the term of course, is a man of a singularly matter-of-fact, selfish disposition, and one incapable of being moved by higher motives than those of personal interest. His doings, his mode of life, all his surroundings bear the stamp of an unrefined idiosyncrasy. Though a staunch Conservative at heart, he is fond of indulging in a timid, mild opposition to Government, yet he even goes so far sometimes as to send to Parliament men whose views are at variance with his own, merely to give himself the pleasure of “teaching a lesson” to the “powers that be.” A man of Voltairian tendencies, yet he allows his wife and daughters to approach the perilous secrecy and the allurements of the confessional. When he happens to be a Republican, he rants furiously about equality, yet he protests that it is a shocking state of affairs which permits of his only son and spoilt child being made to serve in the ranks by the side of the workman or clodhopper. By no means a fire-eater, he is withal a bloodthirsty mortal and a loud-tongued Chauvinist, but as he has the greatest respect for the integrity of his person, and entertains a perfect horror of blows, he likes to see others carry out for him his pugnacious aspirations in a practical way.

Bourgeoise, f. (popular), the mistress of a house or establishment. Ma ——, my wife, “my old woman.”

Bourgeron, m. (popular), small glass of brandy; (soldiers’) a civilian. Properly a kind of short smock-frock.

Bourguignon (popular), the sun.

Bourlingue, m. (popular), dismissal, “the sack.”

Bourlinguer, to dismiss; to get on with difficulty in life. From a naval term.

Bourlingueur, m. (popular), master, “boss;” foreman.

Bourrasque, f. (thieves’), raid by the police.

Bourreau des crânes, m. (military), bully, fire-eater.

Bourre-boyaux, m. (popular), eating-house, “grubbing crib.”

Bourre-coquins, m. pl. (popular), beans. Beans form the staple food of convicts.

Bourre-de-soie, f. (cads’), kept girl, “poll.”

Bourrée, f. (popular), hustling, “hunch.”

Bourrer (familiar), en —— une, to smoke a pipe, “to blow a cloud.”

Bourreur, m. (thieves’), de pègres, penal code; (printers’) —— de lignes, compositor of the body part of a composition, a task generally entrusted to unskilled compositors, unable to deal with more intricate work.

Bourriche, f. (popular), blockhead, “cabbage-head.” Properly hamper.

Bourrichon, m. (popular), head. See Tronche. Se monter, or se charpenter le ——, to entertain strong illusions, to be too sanguine.

Bourricot (popular), c’est ——, that comes to the same thing; it is all the same to me.

Bourrier, m. (popular), dirt, dung.

Bourrique, f. (popular), tourner en ——, to become stupid, or crazy. Faire tourner quelqu’un en ——, to make one crazy by dint of badgering or angering. Cet enfant est toujours à me tourmenter, il me fera tourner en ——, this naughty child will drive me mad. (Thieves’) Bourrique, informer, “nark;” also police officer.

Bourrique à Robespierre (popular), comme la ——, corresponds to the simile like blazes. Saoul comme la ——, awfully drunk.

Bourser (popular), se ——, to go to bed, to get into the “doss.”

Boursicoter (familiar), to speculate in a small way on the stocks.

Boursicoteur, f., boursicotier, m. (familiar), speculator in a small way.

Boursicotiérisme, m. (familiar), occupation of those who speculate on ’Change.

Boursillonner (popular), to “club” for expenses by each contributing a small sum.

Bouscaille, f. (thieves’), mud.

Bouscailleur, street-sweeper, scavenger.

Bouse, f. (popular), de vache, spinach.

Bousiller (popular), to work rapidly but carelessly and clumsily.

Bousilleur (popular), careless, clumsy workman.

Bousilleuse (popular), woman who is careless of her belongings, who is the reverse of thrifty.

Bousin, m. (popular), uproar, disturbance, row, “shindy,” drinking-shop, “lush-crib;” house of ill-fame, “flash drum.”

Bousineur (popular), an adept at creating a disturbance.

Bousingot, m. (popular) wine-shop, “lush-crib;” Republican or literary Bohemian in the earlier years of Louis Philippe.

Boussole, f. (familiar), head, brains. Perdre la ——, to lose one’s head, “to be at sea;” to become mad. (Popular) Boussole de refroidi, or de singe, a Dutch cheese.

Boustifaille, f. (familiar), provisions, food, “grub.”

Boustifailler, to eat plentifully.

Bout, m. (tailors’), flanquer son ——, to dismiss from one’s employment. (Military) Bout de cigare, short man; (popular) —— de cul, short person, or “forty foot;” —— d’homme, de femme, undersized person, or “hop o’ my thumb;” —— coupé, kind of cheap cigar with a clipped end.

Boutanche, f. (thieves’), shop, “chovey.” Courtaud de ——, shopman, a “knight of the yard.”

Bouteille, f. (popular), nose, “boko.” Avoir un coup de ——, to be tipsy. C’est la —— à l’encre is said of any mysterious, incomprehensible affair. (Printers’) Une —— à encre, a printing establishment, thus called on account of the difficulty of drawing up accurate accounts of authors’ corrections.

Bouterne, f. (popular), glazed case containing jewels exhibited as prizes for the winners at a game of dice. The game is played at fairs with eight dice, loaded of course.

Bouternier, m., bouternière, f., proprietor of a bouterne (which see).

Boutique, f., used disparagingly to denote one’s employer’s office; newspaper offices; disorderly house of business; clique. Esprit de ——, synonymous of esprit de corps, but used disparagingly. Etre de la ——, to be one of, to belong to a political clique or administration of any description. Montrer toute sa ——, is said of a girl or woman who accidentally or otherwise exposes her person. Parler ——, to talk shop.

Boutiquer (popular), to do anything with reluctance; to do it badly.