Un —— de cambrouse, a highwayman. In the old English cant, “bridle-cull.” Other varieties of the tribe of malefactors go by the appellations of “grinchisseur, pègre, chevalier de la grippe, fourline, escarpe, poisse, limousineur, charron, truqueur, locandier, vanternier, cambrioleur, caroubleur, solitaire, compagnon, deffardeur, pogne, tireur, voleur à la tire, doubleur, fil de soie, mion de boule, grinchisseur de bogues, friauche, tirebogue, Américain, jardinier, ramastiqueur, enfant de minuit, philosophe, philibert, voleur au bonjour, bonjourier, philantrope, frère de la manicle, garçon de campagne, garçon de cambrouse, tiretaine, enfant de la matte, careur, chêne affranchi, droguiste, &c.; the English brethren being denominated “prig, cracksman, crossman, sneaksman, moucher, hooker, flash cove, bug-hunter, cross-cove, buz-faker, stook-hauler, toy-getter, tooler, prop-nailer, area-sneak, palmer, dragsman, lob-sneak, bouncer, lully-prigger, thimble-twister, gun, conveyancer, dancer, pudding-snammer, beak-hunter, ziff, drummer, buttock-and-file, poll-thief, little snakesman, mill-ben, a cove on the cross, flashman, finder, gleaner, picker, tax-collector,” and formerly “a good fellow, a bridle-cull” (highwayman).

Grincher (thieves’), to rob. See Grinchir.

Quand ils vont décarrer nous les empaumerons. Je grincherai le sinve. Il est avec une largue, il ne criblera pas.—E. Sue. (We’ll follow them when they come out. I’ll rob the cove. He is with a woman, he will not cry out.)

Grincheur, m. (thieves’), young thief, or “ziff.”

Grinchie, adj. (thieves’), camelotte ——, stolen goods, “swag.”

Grinchir (thieves’), to steal. Rabelais in his Pantagruel says of Panurge:—“Toutesfois il avoit soixante et trois manières d’en trouver toujours à son besoing (de l’argent), dont la plus honorable et la plus commune estoit par façon de larrecin furtivement faict.” One may judge from what follows, and by the numerous varieties of “larrecin furtivement faict” described under the head of “grinchissage,” that the imitators of Panurge have not remained far behind in the art of filling their pockets at the expense of the public. Some of the many expressions to describe robbery pure and simple, or the different varieties, are:—“Mettre la pogne dessus, travailler, faire, décrasser, rincer, entiffler, retirer l’artiche, savonner, doubler, barbotter, graisser, dégauchir, dégraisser, effaroucher, évaporer, agripper, soulever, fourmiller, filer, acheter à la foire d’empoigne, pégrer, goupiner à la desserte, sauter, marner, cabasser, mettre de la paille dans ses souliers, faire le saut, secouer, gressier, faire le bobe, faire la bride, faire le morlingue, faire un poivrot, faire un coup d’étal, faire un coup de radin, rincer une cambriolle, faire la soulasse sur le grand trimar, ramastiquer, fourlourer, faire le mouchoir, faire un coup de roulotte, faire grippe-cheville,” &c., &c. The English synonyms are as follows:—“To cop, to touch, to claim, to prig, to wolf, to snake, to pinch, to nibble, to clift, to collar, to nail, to grab, to jump, to nab, to hook, to nim, to fake, to crib, to ease, to convey, to buz, to be on the cross, to do the sneaking-budge, to nick, to fang,” &c., &c.

Grinchissage, m. (thieves’), thieving; theft, or “sneaking-budge.” The latter expression is used by Fielding.

Wild looked upon borrowing to be as good a way of taking as any, and, as he called it, the genteelest kind of sneaking-budge—Fielding, Jonathan Wild.

Le —— à domicile is practised by rogues known under the following denominations:—“Le bonjourier,” see this word; “le cambrioleur,” who operates in apartments; “le caroubleur,” who effects an entrance by means of skeleton keys; “le chevalier du pince-linge,” one who steals linen, “snow-gatherer;” “le déménageur,” who takes possession of articles of furniture, descending the staircase backwards, so that on an emergency he may at once make a show of ascending, as if he were bringing in furniture; “le grinchisseur à la desserte,” thief who enters a dining-room just after dinner-time, and lays hands on the plate; “le gras-doublier,” who steals lead off the roofs, who “flies the blue pigeon;” “le matelassier,” a thief who pretends to repair and clean mattresses; “le vanternier,” who effects an entrance through a window, “dancer;” “le voleur à la location,” who pretends to be in quest of apartments to let; “le voleur au recensement,” who pretends to be an official employed in the census. Le grinchissage à la ballade, or à la trimballade, the thief makes some purchases, and finding he has not sufficient money, requests a clerk to accompany him home, entrusting the parcel to a pretended commissionnaire, a confederate. On the way the rogues suddenly vanish. Le —— à la broquille consists in substituting sham jewellery for the genuine article when offered for inspection by the tradesman. Le —— à la carre. See Carreur. Le —— à la cire, purloining a silver fork or spoon at a restaurant by making it adhere under the table by means of a piece of soft wax. After this preliminary operation the rogue leaves the place, generally after having been searched by the restaurant keeper; then an accomplice enters, takes his confederate’s place at the table, and obtains possession of the property. Le —— à la détourne, the thief secretes goods in a shop while a confederate distracts the attention of the shopkeeper. The rogue who thus operates is termed in English cant a “palmer.” The thief is sometimes a female who has in her arms an infant, whose swaddling-clothes serve as a receptacle for the stolen property. Le ——, or vol à la glu, takes place in churches by means of a rod with birdlime at one end, plunged through the slit in the alms-box, termed tronc; the coins adhering to the extremity of the rod are thus fished out. Le ——, or vol à l’Américaine, confidence-trick robbery. It is the old story of a traveller meeting with a countryman and managing to exchange the latter’s well-filled purse for a bag of leaden coins. Those who practise it are termed “Américains,” or “magsmen.”

Il est aussi vieux que le monde. Il a été raconté mille fois!... Ce vol suranné réussit toujours! il réussira tant qu’il y aura des simples, jusqu’à la consommation des siècles.—Mémoires de Monsieur Claude.

Le —— à la mélasse, the rogue has a tall hat, with the inside of the crown besmeared with treacle, which he suddenly places on the head of the tradesman, pushing it far down over his eyes, and thus making him temporarily helpless (Pierre Delcourt, Paris Voleur). Le —— à la quête, stealing part of the proceeds of a collection in a church when the plate is being passed round. Le ——, or vol à la reconnaissance, consists in picking the pockets of a passer-by while pretending to recognize him and greeting him as an old friend. Le ——, or vol à la tire, according to Monsieur Claude, formerly head of the detective department, this species of theft is the classical one in which the celebrated Cartouche, a kind of French Jack Sheppard, was an adept. It consists in picking waistcoat pockets by means of a pair of scissors or a double-bladed penknife. Le ——, or vol à l’épate, is high-class swindling. It comprises “le brodage,” “le chantage,” “le négoce,” and “le vol au cautionnement.” The first of these consists in the setting-up of a financial establishment and opening an account for unwary merchants, who are made to sign bills in exchange for the swindlers’ paper endorsed by them. When these bills become due they are returned dishonoured, so that the victimized merchants are responsible for the payment not only of their own notes of hand but those of the swindlers as well. “Le chantage” is extorting money by threat of exposure. The proceeds are termed in the English slang “socket-money.” For full explanation see Chanteur. “Le négoce” is practised by English swindlers who represent themselves as being the agents of some well-known firm, and thus obtain goods from continental merchants in exchange for fictitious bills. “Le vol au cautionnement,” the rogues set up a sham financial establishment and advertise for a number of clerks to be employed by the firm on the condition of leaving a deposit as a guarantee. When a large staff of officials, or rather pigeons, have been found, the managers decamp with the deposit fund. Le ——, or vol à la roulotte or roulante, the thief jumps on the box of a vehicle temporarily left in the street by its owner and drives off at a gallop. Sometimes the horse alone is disposed of, the vehicle being left in some out-of-the-way place. The “roulottiers” also steal hawkers’ hand-barrows, or “shallows.” One of these rogues, when apprehended, confessed to having stolen thirty-three hand-barrows, fifty-three vans or carts, and as many horses. Sometimes the “roulottier” will rob property from cabs or carriages by climbing up behind and cutting the straps that secure the luggage on the roof. His English representative is termed a “dragsman,” according to Mr. James Greenwood. See The Seven Curses of London, p. 87. Le ——, or vol à l’esbrouffe, picking the pockets of a passer-by while hustling him as if by accident, termed “ramping.” Le ——, or vol à l’étourneau, when a thief who has just stolen the contents of a till is making his escape, an accomplice who is keeping watch outside scampers off in the opposite direction, so as to baffle the puzzled tradesman, whose hesitation allows of the rogues gaining ground. Le ——, or vol à l’opium, robbery from a person who has been drugged. The scoundrels who practise it are generally Jewish money-lenders of the lowest class, who attract their victims to their abode under pretence of advancing money. A robber who first makes his victim insensible by drugs is termed in the English cant a “drummer.” Le —— au boulon, stealing from a shop by means of a rod or wire passed through a hole in the shutter, “hooking.” Le ——, or vol au cerf-volant, is practised by women, who strip little girls of their trinkets or ease them of their money or parcels. The little victims sometimes get their hair shorn off as well. Le ——, or vol au chatouillage, a couple of rogues pretend to recognize a friend in a man easing himself. They begin to tickle him in the ribs as if in play, meanwhile rifling the pockets of the helpless victim. Le ——, or vol au colis, the thief leaves a parcel in some coffee-house with the recommendation to the landlord not to give it up except on payment of say twenty francs. He then seeks a commissionnaire simple-minded enough to be willing to fetch the parcel and to pay the necessary sum, after which the swindler returns to the place and pockets the money left by the pigeon. Le ——, or vol au fric-frac, housebreaking, or “crib-cracking.” Le ——, or vol au gail or gayet, horse-stealing, or “prad-napping.” Le ——, or vol au grimpant, a young thief, or “little snakesman,” climbs on to the roof of a house and throws a rope-ladder to his accomplices below, who thus effect an entrance. When detected they pass themselves off for workmen engaged in some repairs. Le ——, or vol au parapluie, a shoplifter, or “sneaksman,” drops the stolen property in a half-open umbrella. Le ——, or vol au poivrier, consists in robbing drunkards who have come to grief. Rogues who practise it are in most cases apprehended, detectives being in the habit of impersonating drunkards asleep on benches late at night. Le —— au prix courant, or en pleine trèpe, picking pockets or scarf-pins in a crowd, “cross-fanning.” Le ——, or vol au radin, the landlord of a wine-shop is requested to fetch a bottle of his best wine; while he is busy in the cellar the trap which gives access to it is closed by the rogues, and the counter, or “radin,” pushed on to it, thus imprisoning the victim, who clamours in vain while his till is being emptied. It also takes place in this way: the rogues pretend to quarrel, and one of them throws the other’s cap into a shop, thus providing him with an excuse for entering the place and robbing the till, or “pinching the bob or lob.” Le ——, or vol au raton, a little boy, a “raton,” or “anguille” (termed “tool or little snakesman” in the English cant), is employed in this kind of robbery, by burglars, to enter small apertures and to open doors for the others outside (Pierre Delcourt, Paris Voleur). Le ——, or vol au rigolo, appropriating the contents of a cash-box opened by means of a skeleton key.

Le Pince-Monseigneur perfectionné, se porte aujourd’hui dans un étui à cigares et dans un porte-monnaie ... les voleurs au rigolo ouvrent aujourd’hui toutes les caisses.—Mémoires de Monsieur Claude.

Le ——, or vol au suif, variety of card-sharping swindle.

Il s’opère par un grec qui rôde chez les marchands de vin, dans les cafés borgnes, pour dégotter, en bon suiffeur, une frimousse de pante ou de daim.—Mémoires de Monsieur Claude.

Le ——, or vol au timbre, a tobacconist is asked for a large number of stamps, which the thief carefully encloses in an envelope. Suddenly, when about to pay for them, he finds he has forgotten his purse, returns the envelope containing the stamps to the tradesman and leaves to fetch the necessary sum. Needless to say, the envelope is empty. Le ——, or vol au tiroir, the thief enters a tobacconist’s or spirit shop, and asks for a cigar or glass of spirits. When the tradesman opens his till to give change, snuff is thrown into his eyes, thus making him helpless. This class of thieves is termed in the English cant “sneeze-lurkers.”

Grinchisseur, m. (thieves’), thief, or “prig,” see Grinche; —— de bogues, pickpocket who devotes his attention to watches, a “toy-getter,” or “tooler.”

Gringue, f. (popular), bread, or “soft tommy;” food, or “prog.”

Gripie, m. (thieves’), miller. See Gribis.

Grippe, f. (thieves’), chevalier de la ——, thief, or “prig.” See Grinche.

Grippe-cheville (thieves’), faire ——, to steal, “to claim.” See Grinchir.

Grippe-fleur, gripie, grippis, m. (thieves’), miller. Termed “Grindoff” in English slang.

Grippe-Jésus, m. (thieves’), gendarme.

Parcequ’ils arrêtent les innocents et qu’ils n’ont pas même épargné Jésus.—Nisard.

Grippemini, m. (obsolete), barrister, or “mouthpiece;” lawyer, “sublime rascal, or green bag;” extortioner. From grippeminaud, thief.

Gripper (thieves’), to apprehend, “to smug.” See Piper. Rabelais uses the term with the signification of to seize:—

Parmy eulx règne la sexte essence, moyennant laquelle ils grippent tout, dévorent tout et conchient tout.

Gripperie, f. (popular), theft (obsolete).

Grippis, gripie, grippe-fleur, m. (thieves’), miller.

Gris, adj. and m. (thieves’), dear; wind; (popular) —— d’officier, slight intoxication; —— jusqu’à la troisième capucine, completely drunk, or “slewed.” Capucine, a musket band.

Grisaille, f. (popular), sister of mercy. An allusion to the grey costume worn by sisters of mercy.

Grises, f. pl. (general), en faire voir de ——, to lead one a hard life.

Grisette. See Bifteck.

Grisotter (popular), se ——, to get slightly drunk, or “elevated.” See Sculpter.

Grispin, m. (thieves’), miller.

Grive, f. (thieves’), army; military patrol; warder. Cribler à la ——, to cry out thieves, “to whiddle beef.” Synonymous of “crier à la garde.” Harnais de ——, uniform. Tapis de ——, canteen.

Grivier, m. (thieves’), soldier, “swaddy, lobster, or red herring.” From “grivois,” formerly a soldier of foreign troops in the service of France. The word “grivois” itself seems to be a corruption of “gruyers,” used by Rabelais, and signifying Swiss soldiers, natives of Gruyères, serving in the French army. Grivier de gaffe, sentry; —— de narquois, deserter. Literally a bantering soldier.

Grivoise, f. (obsolete), soldier’s wench, garrison town prostitute. Termed by the English military “barrack-hack.”

Grivoise, c’est à dire coureuse, putain, débauchée, aventurière, dame suivante de l’armée ou gibier de corps-de-garde, une garce à soldats.—Dictionnaire Comique.

Grobis, m. (familiar), faire du ——, to look big (obsolete).

Et en faisant du grobis leur donnait sa bénédiction.—Rabelais.

Grog au bœuf, m. (popular), broth.

Grogne, f. (obsolete), faire la ——, to grumble, to have “the tantrums.”

Faire la grogne, pour faire la moue, prendre la chèvre, faire mauvais visage, bouder, gronder, être de mauvaise humeur, dédaigner.—Dictionnaire Comique.

Grognon, m. (thieves’), one about to be executed. Properly one who grumbles, and very naturally so, at the unpleasant prospect. The English equivalent is “gallows-ripe.”

Groller (popular), to growl, to grumble. Properly to croak. From the word grolle, used by Rabelais with the signification of crow.

Gromiau, m. (popular), child, “kid.” Termed also “gosse, loupiau.”

Grondin, m. (thieves’), pig, “sow’s baby,” or “grunting cheat.”

Gros, adv. and adj. (popular), coucher —— (obsolete), to utter some enormity. Gâcher du ——, to ease oneself. See Mouscailler. Gros cul, prosperous rag-picker; —— lot, venereal disease; (familiar and popular) —— bonnet, influential man; high official, “big-wig;” —— numéro, brothel, or “nanny-shop.” An establishment of that description has a number of large dimensions placed over the front door, and window panes whitewashed. (Thieves’) Artie de —— Guillaume, brown bread. The expression, “du gros Guillaume,” was formerly used by the Parisians.

On appelle du gros Guillaume, du pain destiné, dans les maisons de campagne, pour la nourriture des valets de cour.—Du gros Guillaume, mot Parisien, pour dire du pain bis, du gros pain de ménage, tel que le mangent les paysans.—Le Roux, Dict. Comique.

(Military) Gros bonnet, officer of high rank, “bloke;” —— frères, —— lolos, or —— talons, the cuirassiers; —— légumes, field-officers. A play on the words “épaulettes à graines d’épinards,” the insignia of such officers. The word gros, considered as the masculine of “grosse,” synonymous of “enceinte,” was formerly used with the signification of impatient, longing, alluding to the uncontrollable desires which are sometimes manifested by women in a state of pregnancy. Thus people would express their eagerness by such ridiculous phrases as, “Je suis gros de vous voir, de boire avec vous, de le connaître.”

Grosse, adj. f. (popular), caisse, the body, or “apple cart;” —— cavalerie, staff of scavengers, or “rake kennels,” an allusion to their big boots; —— culotte, drunkard. (Convicts’) Grosse cavalerie, scum of the hulks, desperate scoundrels; and, in theatrical language, supernumeraries of the ballet. (Tramcar conductors’) Aller voir les grosses têtes, to drive the first morning car to Bineau, this part of Paris being inhabited by substantial people.

Grossiot, m. (popular), person of good standing, a “swell.”

Grotte, f. (thieves’), the hulks. Gerbé à la ——, sentenced to transportation, or “lagged.” Aller à la ——, to be transported, “to lump the lighter.”

Grouchy, m. (printers’), petit ——, one who is late; small job, the composition of which has been delayed. An allusion to the alleged tardiness of General Grouchy at Waterloo.

Grouiller (sailors’), attrape à ne pas ——, mind you do not move.

Attrape à ne pas grouiller, fit le vieux. ... Tu perdrais ton souffle à lui courir après.—Richepin, La Glu.

Grouillis-grouillot, m. (popular), swarm, crowd, or “scuff.”

Grouin, m. (popular), face, or “mug.” Properly snout. Se lécher le ——, to kiss one another. Donner un coup de —— (obsolete), to kiss.

Groule, groulasse, f. (popular), female apprentice; small servant; young “slavey,” or “marchioness.”

Groumer (popular), to grumble.

Grubler (thieves’), to grumble; to growl.

Vous grublez comme un guichemard.—Richepin. (You growl like a jailer.)

Grue, f. (familiar), more than fast girl; kept woman, or “demi-rep;” foolish, empty-headed girl or woman.

Gruerie, f. (familiar), stupidity.

Grun (Breton cant), chin.

Gruyère, m. (popular), morceau de ——, pockmarked face, or “cribbage face.”

Guadeloupe, f. (popular), mouth, or “rattle-trap.” Charger pour la ——, to eat. See Mastiquer.

Guano, m. (popular), excrement, or “quaker.” An allusion to the guano of South America.

Guédouze, or guétouse, f. (thieves’), death.

Gueldre, f. (fishermens’), bait prepared with shrimps for the fishing of sardines.

Guelte, f. (shopmens’), percentage allowed on sales.

Guelter (shopmens’), to make a percentage on sales; to pay such percentage.

Guénaud, m. (thieves’), wizard.

Guénaude, f. (thieves’), witch.

Guenette, f. (thieves’), fear, “funk.”

Guenilles, f. pl. (familiar), trousser ses ——, to run away (obsolete), “to tip one’s rags a gallop.”

Guenon, f. (popular), mistress of an establishment, the master being “le singe.”

Guéri, adj. (thieves’), set at liberty; free; the prison being termed “hôpital,” and imprisonment “maladie.”

Hélas! il est malade à Canelle (il est arrêté à Caen) ... il a une fièvre chaude (il est fortement compromis), et vous, il paraît que vous êtes guéri (libre)?—Vidocq.

Guérite, f. (popular), à calotins, confessional. Guérite is properly a sentry-box. Enfiler la —— (obsolete), to run away.

Guêtré, m. (military), trooper who, for some reason or other, has to make the day’s journey on foot.

Gueulard, m. (thieves’), bag; wallet.

Ils trollent ordinairement à leur côté un gueulard avec une rouillarde pour mettre le pivois.—Le Jargon de l’Argot. (They generally carry by their side a wallet with a bottle to keep the wine in.)

(Popular) Un ——, a stove. Gueulard, properly a gormandizer.

Gueularde, f. (thieves’), pocket, “cly,” “sky-rocket,” or “brigh.” Termed also “fouillouse, louche, profonde, or grande.”

Gueulardise, f. (popular), dainty food.

Gueule, f. (popular), d’empeigne, palate which, by dint of constant application to the bottle, has become proof against the strongest liquors; loud voice; —— de raie, ugly phiz, or “knocker face;” —— de tourte, stupid-looking face. Bonne ——, grotesque face. Crever la —— à quelqu’un, to break one’s head.

Je te vas crever la gueule.—Alphonse Karr.

Faire la ——, to make a wry face. Faire sa ——, to give oneself disdainful airs; to look disgusted.

Dis donc, Marie bon-bec, ne fais pas ta gueule.—Zola.

Avoir de la ——, to be loud-mouthed. Il n’a que la ——, he is a humbug. Se chiquer la ——, to maul one another’s face. (Military) Roulement de la ——, beating to dinner. Se sculpter une —— de bois, to get drunk, or “screwed.” For synonyms see Sculpter.

Gueulée, f. (popular), howling; meal. Chercher la ——, to be a parasite, or “quiller.”

Gueulées, f. pl. (popular), objectionable talk, or “blue talk.”

Gueuler (popular), comme un âne, to be loud-tongued; (thieves’) —— à la chienlit, to cry out thieves! or police! “to whiddle beef.”

Gueuleton, m. (familiar and popular), a feast, or “spread.”

Et les artistes se levèrent pour serrer la main d’un frère qui offrait un gueuleton général.—E. Monteil.

Gueuletonner (familiar and popular), to feast.

Gueuse, f. (popular), mistress; prostitute, or “mot.” See Gadoue. Courir la ——, to be a whore-monger, or “molrower.”

Gueux, m. (popular), small pan full of charcoal used as a foot-warmer by market women, &c.

Une vieille femme ... est accroupie près d’un gueux sur les cendres duquel une cafetière ronronne.—P. Mahalin.

Gueux-gueux (obsolete), rascal; the expression being used in a friendly manner.

Guibe (popular), leg; —— à la manque, lame leg; —— de satou, wooden leg. Jouer des guibes, to dance; to run away, “to slope.” See Patatrot.

Guibole, or guibolle, f. (popular and thieves’), leg, “pin.”

Mais comment? Lui, si démoli, si mal gréé à c’t’heure, avec sa guibole boiteuse, et ses bras rouillés, et toutes les avaries de sa coque en retraite, comment pourrait-il saborder ce gaillard-là, d’aplomb et trapu?—Richepin, La Glu.

Jouer des guiboles, to run; to dance.

Puis, le soir, on avait fichu un balthazar à tout casser, et jusqu’au jour on avait joué des guiboles.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

Guibon. See Guibonne.

Guibonne, f. (popular and thieves’), leg; —— carrée, ham.

Guiche, m. and f. (popular and thieves’), duc de ——, jailer, or “jigger dubber.” From guichetier, jailer. Mec de la ——, prostitute’s bully, or “Sunday man.” Thus termed on account of his kiss-curls. For list of synonyms see Poisson. Des guiches, kiss-curls. Termed in the English slang, “aggerawators,” or “Newgate knockers.” Regarding the latter expression the Slang Dictionary says: “‘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 carries a rather unpleasant suggestion to the wearer. Sometimes termed a ‘cobbler’s knot,’ or ‘cow-lick.’” Trifouiller les guiches, to comb the hair. (Familiar) Chevalier de la ——, prostitute’s bully, or “pensioner.” For list of synonymous expressions see Poisson. Le bataillon de la ——, the world of bullies.