En ——, to be deceived conjugally. Porter à la peau, to inspire with carnal desires; —— le deuil de sa blanchisseuse, to have linen the reverse of snow-white. Literally to be in mourning for one’s washerwoman; —— sa malle, to be a humpback, or “lord;” (thieves’) —— gaffe, to be on sentry duty. Un grivier qui porte gaffe, a soldier on sentry duty. Porter du gras-double au moulin, to sell stolen lead to a receiver, or “fence.”
Porte-trèfle, m. (popular), trousers, “kicks.” See Trèfle.
Porteur, m. (thieves’), de camoufle, prostitute’s bully, “ponce.” See Poisson. “Camoufle” is equivalent to chandelle, and “tenir la chandelle” is to favour the intercourse of lovers. (Popular) Avoir cassé la gueule à son —— d’eau, to have one’s menses.
Porteuse, f. (thieves’) hand, “picker, famm, duke, or daddle.”
Porte-veine. See Porte-bonheur.
Portez! remettez! (cavalry), a mock command said when anyone has just uttered something foolish, or a “bull.”
Portier, m., portière, f. (familiar and popular), scandal-monger. Alluding to the propensity of Paris doorkeepers for scandal.
Portion, f. (military), prostitute, or “barrack-hack.” Demi ——, chum.
—Mon bon camarade Cousinet, hé donc!
—Ah! tu es la demi-portion du Merlan? C’est un bon zigue.—Dubois de Gennes.
Portrait, m. (popular), face, “mug.” Dégrader le —— à quelqu’un, to strike one in the face, to give one a “facer,” “to fetch one a bang in the mug,” or “to give a biff in the jaw” (Americanism).
Portugal, m. (popular), une entrée de ——, said of a bad, awkward rider.
Pose, f. (familiar and popular), la faire à la ——, to assume an air of superiority. Faut pas me la faire à la ——, “you mustn’t come Shakespeare over me, you mustn’t come Rothschild over me,” &c. (Popular) A moi la ——! words used by a man who has just received a blow, to express his intention of returning it with interest. Literally, expression used by domino players, my turn to play!
Poser (artists’), l’ensemble, to pose nude; (familiar and popular) —— un factionnaire, or un pépin, to ease oneself, “to bury a quaker,” see Mouscailler;—— un lapin, or lapiner, to deceive, to take one in. More specially to enjoy the good graces of a cocotte and make off without giving her a fee, “to do a bilk.”
Si l’abbé Roussel a essayé de “poser un lapin” et s’il laisse vraiment cette petite noceuse sous une prévention de ce genre, voilà qui m’indigne.—Francis Enne, Le Radical.
For explanation see Lapin. Faire —— quelqu’un, to make one wait a long time; to fool one, “to bamboozle.” Poser pour le torse, to bear oneself so as to show off one’s figure; (popular) —— sa chique, to hold one’s tongue, “to be mum.” Pose ta chique, “hold your jaw, or stubble your whids.” Poser et marcher dedans, to get bewildered; to betray oneself; (thieves’) —— un gluau, to lay a trap, or make preparations for the apprehension of a criminal, of one who is “wanted” by the police. Gluau, bird-lime.
Poses, f. pl. (gamesters’), faire des ——, to insert certain cards prepared for cheating purposes in a pack.
Poseur de lapins, m. (familiar and popular), artful fellow who fools simple-minded folk.
Le garçon.—Trente-sept francs soixante-quinze, messieurs.
Deuxième provincial, bondissant.—Trente-sept francs soixante-quinze! Comment, nous n’avons que nos deux “assinthes” et les deux bocks de ce monsieur!
Le garçon.—Oui, mais il y a l’addition de ce monsieur qui a déjeûné avec une dame ... vous êtes du Midi, n’est-ce pas, messieurs?... Eh bien, croyez-moi: à Paris, mieux vaut encore parler tout seul que de lier conversation avec un “poseur de lapins.”—Paul Mahalin.
The epithet is also applied to a man who deceives a woman of indifferent character by making promises of money or presents, one who does a “bilk.”
Eva sonne sa femme de chambre qui vient pendant qu’il murmure: châmante, châmante!
—Tu peux le prendre, s’il te convient, moi, je n aime pas les poseurs de lapins.—Mathurine, La Marotte.
Poseuse, f. (theatrical), female singer whose business is to pose.
Là, il put à son aise imposer son répertoire aux chanteurs, répertoire fort varié, du reste, car pour les “poseuses” on fit murmurer le rossignol et le papillon se poser sur la rose à peine éclose.—J. Sermet.
Position, f. (thieves’), trunk, portmanteau, “peter.” Thieves judge of a man’s standing by his “traps.”
Possédé, m. (thieves’), brandy, “bingo,” in old cant.
Posséder son embouchure (popular), to have a natural talent for speechifying, “to have the gift of the gab.”
Poste, m. (sailors’), or —— aux choux, victualling boat.
Postérieurs, m. pl. (popular), limonadier des ——, apothecary, one who used to perform the “clysterium donare” of Molière. Termed also “flûtencul,” and formerly “mirancu.”
Postiche, f. (printers’), dull story; humbug, “regular flam, or gammon;” (thieves’) gathering of people in the street, enabling rogues to ease someone of his valuables, “scuff.”
Postière, f. (popular), female clerk employed at the post office.
Postige, f. (mountebanks’), preliminary performance of mountebanks.
Postillon, m. (thieves’), pellet used as a mode of communication between prisoners, or between a prisoner and outsiders.
Un postillon est tout simplement une boulette de mie de pain pétrie entre les doigts et renfermant une lettre, un avis.—Mémoires de Canler.
Envoyer le ——, to correspond thus. (Popular) Postillon d’eau chaude, engine driver, “puffing billy” driver; hospital assistant whose functions consist in administering clysters to patients, an operation described by Molière as “clysterium donare.”
Postillonner (thieves’), to correspond by means of the “postillon” (which see); (familiar and popular) to spit involuntarily when talking.
Posture, f. (popular), en ——, apothecary, or “pill-driver.” Termed also “potard.”
Pot, m. (thieves’), cabriolet, a kind of gig. Termed also “cuiller à pot, or potiron roulant.”
Enlevez le gré, le pot et les frusquins du sinve qui s’est esgaré avec les miens.—Vidocq. (Take away the horse, the gig, and the clothes of the fool who ran away with mine.)
Pot, crucible used by coiners. (Popular) Fouille au ——, man who is fond of taking liberties with women.
Il fallait le voir toujours en petoche autour d’elle. Un vrai fouille-au-pot, qui tâtait sa jupe par derrière, dans la foule, sans avoir l’air de rien.—Zola.
Potache, m. (students’), pupil at a lycée, a government school. Probably a corruption of “potasse,” from “potasser,” a slang term used by students to signify to work. L. Larchey says the origin of the word may be found in “pot-à-chien,” college cap.
Potager, m. (popular), brothel, “nanny-shop, flash-drum, or, academy.”
Pot-à-minium, m. (popular), painter or house decorator.
Pot-à-moineaux, m. (popular), large hat, “mushroom.”
Potard, m. (popular), apothecary, “pill-driver, gallipot, or squirt.”
C’t Arthur de Bretagne, n’fut même pas l’premier ouvrage d’ Claude Bernard puisque ... l’élève pharmacien avait fait représenter à Lyon une bluette pas méchante.... Avec son manuscrit dans sa malle le jeune potard vint à Paris.—Trublot, Le Cri du Peuple.
Potasser (students’), to work. Termed “to sap” at Winchester and many other schools. Also to work hard, “to mug.”
Pot-à-tabac, m. (popular), short and stout person, “humpty dumpty;” dull, insignificant man, “very small potatoes;” (thieves’) policeman. Termed also “rousse, roussin, bâton de réglisse, baladin, cagne, cogne, balai, serin, pousse, vache, arnif, peste, tronche à la manque, flaquadard, cabestan, raille (detective officer), railleux, sacre, grive, laune, flique, bec-de-gaz, estaffier, bourrique, pousse-cul, lampion rouge, escargot de trottoir, cierge, sergo;” in the English cant and slang, “crusher, worm, pig, bobby, blue-bottle, reeler, copper, Johnny Darby (corruption of gendarme), philip, philistine, peeler, raw lobster, slop;” and in ancient cant of beggars, “harmanbek.” Whence “beak,” or magistrate.
Pot-au-feu, m. (popular), behind, see Vasistas; (coiners’) crucible in which coiners melt the metal used in their nefarious trade. (Familiar) Etre ——, to be commonplace, plain.
Ce n’est pas cet imbécile, qui m’aurait éclairée ... il est d’ailleurs bien trop pot-au-feu.—Balzac.
Pot au vin, m. (familiar and popular), obsolete, the head.
Si Dieu me sauve le moule du bonnet, c’est le pot au vin, disait ma mère-grand—Rabelais.
Pot-bouille, f. (familiar and popular), kitchen and household duties in a small way. The term has passed into the language.
Poteau, m. (thieves’), un ——, a friend, or “ben cull;” a top man, or prince among the canting crew. Also the chief rogue of the gang, or the completest cheat, “dimber damber.” Termed “upright man” in old English cant. Poteaux de bal, prison chums, “schoolmen.” (Engine-drivers’) Avoir son —— kilométrique is said of a man who is in a state of intoxication, but who can yet find his way. Avoir son —— télégraphique, to be completely drunk, or “slewed.” See Pompette. According to M. Denis Poulot the different stages are “attraper une allumette ronde,” “avoir son allumette de marchand de vin,” “prendre son allumette de campagne,” “avoir son poteau,” and as above.
Potée, f. (popular), enfiler sa ——, to drink a litre measure of wine.
Potence, f. (popular), rascally person of either sex; “bad egg,” in the case of a man.
Potet, m. (popular), whimsical man; old fool, or “doddering old sheep’s head.”
Potin, m. (popular), row, uproar. Faire du ——, to make loud complaints.
Faire du ——, is said also of some event which causes great excitement.
Avant-hier a été donné aux ambassadeurs un dîner de douze couverts qui certainement fera du potin dans le monde qui s’amuse.—Figaro, Oct., 1886.
(Familiar and popular) Potin, scandalous report. Synonymous of cancans. Concerning the latter expression Madame de Genlis quotes the following conversation between General Decaen, who was at the time aide-de-camp to his brother, and who had been arrested by the gendarmerie on his way to the camp:—
Comment vous nommez-vous? lui demanda le brigadier.
—Decaen.
—D’où êtes-vous?
—De Caen.
—Qu’êtes-vous?
—Aide de camp.
—De qui?
—Du général Decaen.
—Où allez-vous?
—Au camp.
—Oh! oh! dit le brigadier, qui n’aimait pas les calembourgs, il y a trop de cancans dans votre affaire; vous allez passer la nuit au violon, sur un lit de camp.—Mémoires.
Potiner (familiar and popular), to talk scandal.
Potinier (familiar and popular), scandal-monger.
Potiron, m. (popular), the behind; (thieves’) —— roulant, gig.
Potot, or poteau, m. (convicts’), friend, or “pal;” Sodomist.
Potred ann taouen (Breton cant), cod-fishers.
Potred ann tok-tok (Breton cant), slaters.
Pou affamé, m. (popular), greedy man, a worshipper of money.
Poubelles, f. pl. (familiar), kind of dust-bins which the inhabitants have to place at their doors every morning, in accordance with a recent regulation promulgated by M. Poubelle, Prefect of the Seine.
Pouce, m. (popular), avoir le —— rond, to be dexterous, skilful. Donner le coup de ——, to give short weight; to strangle. Et le ——! and ever so many more! (Artists’) Avoir du ——, is said of a picture painted in bold, vigorous style.
Poucette, or poussette, f. (card-sharpers’), act of adding to one’s stakes laid on the table directly the game is favourable.
Pouchon, m. (thieves’), purse, “skin, or poge.” From pochon, small pocket.
Poudre, f. (freemasons’), faible, water; —— forte, wine; —— fulminante, brandy; —— noire, coffee.
Pouffiace, or pouffiasse, f. (thieves’), prostitute; low prostitute, “draggle-tail.” See Gadoue.
Pouffiasbourg, m. (popular), nickname for Asnières, a locality in the vicinity of Paris, where many ladies leading a gay life have their abode; a kind of Parisian St. John’s Wood, in that respect.
Poufiasser (popular), is said of persons of either sex whose fondness for the opposite sex leads them into living a life of a questionable description. A man in that case is said to “go molrowing.”
Poufs, m. pl. (familiar), faire des ——, is said of a person who runs into debt knowing he will be unable to meet his liabilities, and then suddenly decamps.
Pouic (thieves’), no; nothing, “nix.”
Pouiffe, f. (thieves’), money, “dinarly,” “pieces,” see Quibus; woman of questionable character, or prostitute. Termed by English rogues, “blowen, or bunter.”
Pouilleux, m. (familiar), poor devil, or “quisby;” miser, skinflint, “hunks.” Properly lousy man.
Poulailler, m. (popular), house of ill-fame, or “nanny-shop.” Properly hen-house; upper gallery in a theatre, “up among the gods.”
Poulain, m. (military), faire un ——, to fall from one’s horse, “to come a cropper.”
Poulainte, f. (thieves’), swindle on an exchange of goods.
Poularde, f. (journalists’), kept woman.
Poule, f. (popular), laitée, man devoid of energy, “sappy,” or “henpecked fellow;” —— d’eau, washerwoman. Termed also “baquet insolent.” Des poules, female inmates of a house of ill-fame, “dress lodgers.”
Poulet, m. (popular), manger le ——, to be in confederacy with a builder, so as to divide the proceeds of unlawful gains. The expression is used by masons, carpenters, and others employed in house-building, in reference to architects and their accomplices. Poulet de carême, red herring, or “Yarmouth capon;” frog. Frogs not being considered as flesh. Poulet d’hospice, lean, hungry-looking fellow, one who looks like a half-drowned rat; —— d’Inde, fool, or “flat;” and in military slang, horse, or “gee.”
Oui, répondit-il en ramassant son cheval ... j’allais vous proposer un tour de promenade. Si cela vous sourit, en route! J’ai dit à Saïd de seller votre poulet d’Inde.—Bonnetain, L’Opium.
Poulot, m. (popular), for poulailler, the gallery in a theatre, “up amongst the gods.”
Poupard, m. (thieves’), swindle, or crime, “plant.” Nourrir un ——, to make all necessary preparations in view of committing a robbery or murder. Goury de ——, accomplice, “stallsman.”
Poupée, f. (popular), paramour, “moll;” (thieves’) soldier; (sailors’) figure-head. Etre entre poupe et poupée, to be out at sea.
Poupon, m. (popular), tool-bag; (thieves’) any kind of crime, “job.”
Voici la balle! Dans le poupon, Ruffard était en tiers avec moi et Godet.—Balzac.
Pour (cads’ and thieves’), perhaps; —— chiquer, nonsense, gammon! (Familiar and popular) Ce n’est pas —— enfiler des perles is expressive of doubt as to the innocence of purpose or harmlessness of some action.
Et veux-tu savoir ce qui t’embête, chéri?... C’est que toi-même tu trompes ta femme. Hein? tu ne découches pas pour enfiler des perles.—Zola.
(Popular) Pour la peau, for nothing.
Alors c’est pour la peau que j’ai tiré cinquante-neuf mois et quinze jours de service?—G. Courteline.
(Printers’) Aller chou —— chou, to imitate closely a printed copy when composing. (Prostitutes’) C’est —— les bas, gratuity to prostitutes in a brothel. Alluding to their habit of using their stockings as a receptacle for the money they receive.
Pour-compte, m. (tailors’), misfit.
Pourlécher (popular), s’en —— la face, to be delighted with something, the result being that one is in “full feather, or cock-a-hoop.” Tu t’en pourlécheras la face, that will give you great pleasure, “that’ll rejoice the cockles of your heart.”
Pourri, adj. (familiar), full; —— de chic, very elegant, dashing, “tsing tsing.”
Pousse, f. (thieves’), police, gendarmerie. (Popular) Ce qui se ——, money, “loaver.” See Quibus. (Roughs’) Filer, or refiler une —— à quelqu’un, to hustle, “to flimp;” to throw down. Y veut m’ coller un coup d’sorlot dans les accessoires; je l’y file une pousse et j’te l’envoie dinguer sur le trime. He tried to kick me in the privy parts; I threw him down and sent him sprawling in the road.
Poussé, adj. (thieves’), drunk, or “canon.” See Pompette.
Pousse-au-vice, f. (popular), Spanish fly.
Pousse-bateau, m. (popular), water.
Pousse-café, m. (familiar), a small glass of brandy or ligueur drunk after taking coffee, le repousse-café being a second glass.
Pousse-cailloux, m. (popular), infantry soldier, “wobbler.” In the slang of the cavalry, “mud-crusher, or beetle-crusher.”
Pousse-cul, m. (familiar and popular), obsolete, “archer,” or soldier of the watch.
Pousse-cul, pour archer, ou ce qu’on appelle vulgairement à Paris des sergens, ou des archers de l’écuelle, qui vont d’un côté et d’autre pour prendre les gueux.—Le Roux.
Nisard, in his interesting work, De quelques Parisianismes populaires, says that the foot-soldiers of the watch were termed “pousse-culs,” whereas the mounted police went by the name of “lapins ferrés,” lapin being the general term for a soldier, as shown by a letter from a general of the army in Italy to Bonaparte, written in true Spartan-like spirit:—
Citoyen général en chef—Les lapins mangent du pain; pas de pain, pas de lapins; pas de lapins, pas de victoire: ainsi ouvre l’œil n, i, ni, c’est fini.
Pousse-cul (obsolete), Lovelace. It now has the signification of police-officer.
Poussée, f. (popular), reprimand, or “wigging;” urgent work. Voilà une belle —— de bateaux is expressive of disappointment at finding that something which has been praised falls short of one’s expectations.
Pousse-moulin, m. (popular), water, “Adam’s ale.” Termed “lage” in old English cant. Evidently the old French word “aigue, aige,” preceded by the article. “Lagout” in old French cant.
Pousser (popular), le boum du cygne, to die, “to kick the bucket.” For synonyms see Pipe. Pousser son rond, to ease oneself by evacuation. See Mouscailler. Pousser un bateau, to tell a falsehood, or “flam;” —— son glaire, to talk, “to jaw.” Se —— de l’air, to go away, “to mizzle.” S’en —— dans le battant, le cornet, or le fusil, to drink or eat heartily. (Familiar and popular) Se —— du col, to feel proud of one’s achievements.
(Roughs’) Pousser son pas d’hareng saur, to dance; (thieves’) —— la goualante, to sing, “to lip a chant.” Se —— un excellent, to eat a dish of the ordinary prison fare. (Police) Pousser de la ficelle, to watch a thief, “to give a roasting.” Termed also “poiroter, prendre en filature.” (Ecole Polytechnique) Pousser une blague, to smoke, “to blow a cloud.” (Bakers’) Pousser, to rise, is used in reference to the dough.
Poussier, m. (popular), bed, “doss;” —— de motte, snuff. (Thieves’) Poussier, gunpowder; money, or “pieces.” See Quibus.
Poussière, f. (popular), faire de la ——, to make a great fuss or show. (Thieves’) Poussière, spirits. (Familiar) Couleur —— des routes, a kind of greyish brown.
Elle était en toilette de voyage, la robe poussière des routes retroussée sur un jupon écarlate.—P. Mahalin.
Poussin, m. (popular), avaler son ——, to be dismissed from one’s employ, “to get the sack.”
Poussinière, f. (thieves’), seminary.
Poutrone, f. (popular), prostitute.
Pouvoir siffler (popular). Vous pouvez siffler, you will have to do without it; you will not get what you ask for.
Prandion, m. (artists’), hearty meal, “tightener.”
Prandionner (artists’), to make a hearty meal.
Prantarsac, m. (thieves’), purse, or “skin.”
Prat, m. (popular), girl of indifferent character, “mot.”
Pratique, f. (military), worthless soldier; unscrupulous soldier who is always seeking to shirk his duties, or to deceive others.
Du reste, il n’y a ici ni blanc-bec, ni carapatas, ni moutard; vous êtes deux pratiques qui, en voyant des conscrits vous êtes dit qu’il serait facile ... de leur faire payer la consommation.—C. Dubois de Gennes.
Il ne faudrait pas cependant exagérer l’héroïsme des “pratiques.” Si d’aucuns se battent bien, un plus grand nombre ne sont que des maraudeurs et des pillards.—Hector France, L’Armée de John Bull.
Praule, m. (thieves’), central prison, “stir, or steel.”
Elles en avaient pour dix ans de praule (centrale) comme elles disaient et pourtant la môme (enfant) n’avait pas été estourbie (tuée).—Louise Michel.
Pré, m. (thieves’), convict settlement. Formerly the galleys. Termed also “pré des fagots,” or “grand pré.” Acresto, gaffine labago.—Tout est franco, y a pas d’trèpe. Quand le pante et la gonzesse décarreront de la cassine, nous les farguerons à la dure pour pagour leurs bobinarès, et leurs prantarsacs. Toi, tu babillonneras la largue. S’ils font du renaud et de l’harmonarès, nous les emplâtrerons et chair dure! Si tu veux nous les balancarguerons dans la vassarès; et après, pindarès. Ne manquons pas le coup, autrement nous irions laver nos pieds d’agnet dans le grand pré. Which signifies, in the jargon of modern malefactors, Be careful, look yonder.—All right, there’s nobody. When the man and woman leave the house, we’ll attack them to ease them of their watch and purse. You gag the female. Should they resist and make a noise, we’ll knock them over and smash them. If you wish it, we’ll pitch them into the water, after which we wash our hands of the matter. Let us not make a mull of it, otherwise we can make sure of being transported. Faucher au grand ——, to be a convict in a penal servitude settlement. Le —— salé, the sea, or “briny.” Etre au —— à vioque, to be at the penal servitude settlement for life.
Apprête-toi à retourner au pré à vioque.... Tu dois t’y attendre.—Balzac.
Le —— au dab court toujours, the prison of Mazas. Le —— est en taupé, it is a bad job.
Voyons, c’est pas la peine de remonter dans vote guimbarde, le pré est en taupé d’abord.—Louise Michel.
Préfectanche, f. (thieves’), Préfecture de Police, the headquarters of the Paris police.
Préfectancier, m. (thieves’), police-officer.
Premier, m., première, f. (shopmen’s), head assistant in a linen-draper’s shop.
Premiero (military), firstly.
Premier-Paris, m. (common), leading article.
Prendre (thieves’), un rat par la queue, to steal a purse, “to fake a poge;” (gamesters’) —— la culotte, to lose a large sum of money, “to win the shiny rag;” (theatrical) —— au souffleur, to perform throughout with the aid of the prompter; —— des temps de Paris, to add to the effect of a tirade by preliminary by-play. Also to bring in by-play when one has forgotten his part and wishes to gain time; (popular) —— Jacques Déloge pour son procureur, to run away, to escape, to abscond.
Cette expression qui est encore usitée avec ces autres “prendre de la poudre d’escampette, lever le paturon, dire adieu tout bas” avait déjà cours au xviiᵉ siècle, où l’on disait surtout, en plaisantant, “Faire Jacques desloges,” pour s’enfuir.—Michel.
Prendre de l’air, to vanish, “to bunk,” see Patatrot; —— son café aux dépens de quelqu’un, to laugh at one, to quiz him; —— un billet de parterre, to fall, “to come a cropper.” A play on the words billet de parterre, pit-ticket, and par terre, on the ground. (Saint-Cyr cadets’) Prendre ses draps, to go to the guard-room under arrest, “to be roosted;” (police) —— en filature, to follow and watch a thief, to give him a “roasting.” Synonymous of “poiroter, pousser de la ficelle;” (roughs’) —— d’autor une femme, to ravish a woman; (printers’) —— une barbe, to get drunk, or “tight.”
La “barbe” a des degrés divers. “Le coup de feu” est la “barbe” commençante. Quand l’état d’ivresse est complet, la barbe est simple; elle est indigne quand le sujet tombe sous la table, cas extrêmement rare. Il est certains “poivreaux” qui commettent la grave imprudence de “promener leur barbe” à l’atelier; presque tous deviennent alors “pallasseurs,” surtout ceux qui sont taciturnes à l’état sec.—Boutmy.
“Prendre une barbe” is “to quad out” in the slang of English printers. Prendre la mesure du cul avec le pied (obsolete), to bring one’s foot in violent contact with another’s posteriors.
S’il me regarde de travers, je lui prends la mesure de son cul avec mon pied, de son mufle avec mon poing.—Dialogue, 1790.
(Military) Prendre le train d’onze heures, punishment inflicted on a soldier by his comrades, the culprit being dragged about in his bed by means of ropes attached.
Prends garde (popular), de t’enrhumer, ironical words addressed to one who is easing himself in the open air; —— de casser le verre de ta montre, recommendation shouted out to one who has just fallen; —— de te décrocher la fressure, ironical words addressed to one who is slow in his movements, “don’t lose your hair.”
Préparateur, m. (thieves’), confederate of thieves who rob shops by pairs. Termed “palming;” one thief bargaining with apparent intent to purchase, whilst the other watches his opportunity to steal.
Ceux qui remplissent le rôle de préparateurs, disposent à l’avance et mettent à part sur le comptoir les articles qu’ils désirent s’approprier: dès que tout est prêt ils font un signal à leurs affidés qui sont à l’extérieur.—Vidocq.
Préparer sa petite chapelle (military), to pack up one’s effects in the knapsack.
Preponderance à la culasse, f. (military), large breech.
Presse, f. (brothels’), la dame est sous ——, the lady is engaged. (Popular) Mettre sous ——, to pawn, “to put in lug.”
Prêt, m. (cavalry), soldiers’ pay; (prostitutes’) money allowed to a bully by a prostitute out of her earnings.
Prêter (popular), cinq louis à quelqu’un, to give one a box on the ear, “to warm the wax of one’s ear;” (thieves’) —— loche, to listen. Loche, ear, “lug.”
Prêtez loche, j’entrave cribler. Tiens, c’est vrai, c’est le clipet d’un homme.—Vidocq. (Listen, I hear someone crying out. Why, ’tis true, it’s a man’s voice.)
Prêtre, m. (thieves’), actor, “cackling cove, or mug-faker.”
Preu, m. (schools’), for premier, first; (popular) first floor.
Tiens. v’là l’bijoutier du Nᵒ. 10 qui n’s’embête pas lui: il vous a loué tout son preu?—Henri Monnier, L’Exécution.
Prévence, f. (thieves’ and cads’), for “prévention,” or remand.
Le monde s’amasse ... et les sergos s’amènent.... Moi, qui avais voulu seulement retenir Fluxion-de-Poitrine on me ramasse comme lui. Total: huit jours de prévence pour chacun.—Macé, Mon Premier Crime.
Prévôt (prisoners’), head of a prison squad; prison scout.
Priat, m. (thieves’), beads, rosary.
Priaute, f. (thieves’), church. Termed also “rampante,” and in old English cant, “autem.”
On voit bien que vous venez de la priaute car vous bigotez.—Vidocq.
Prie-Dieu, m. (thieves’), penal code.
Prima dona. See Egout.
Prin, m. (schools’), head of a school, the “gaffer.” Abbreviation of principal.
Prince, m. (popular), one who suffers from the itch. See Principauté. Prince du sang, murderer; —— russe, man who keeps a woman.
Principauté, f. (popular), the itch. A play on principauté de Galles and gale, itch. Termed in English slang, “Scotch fiddle.” “To play the Scotch fiddle,” says the Slang Dictionary, “is to work the index finger of the right hand like a fiddlestick between the index and middle fingers of the left. This provokes a Scotchman in the highest degree, as it implies that he has the itch. It is supposed that a continuous oatmeal diet is productive of cutaneous affection.” In Scotland the ejaculation, “God bless the Duke of Argyle!” is an insinuation made, when one shrugs his shoulders, of its being caused by parasites, or cutaneous affection. It is said to have been originally the thankful exclamation of the Glasgow folk at finding a certain row of iron posts, erected by his Grace in that city to mark the division of his property, very convenient to rub against. Some say the posts were put up purposely for the benefit of the good folk of Glasgow, who were at the time suffering from the “Scotch fiddle.”
Prine, wife of the “prin” (which see).
Prison, f. (popular), être dans la —— de Saint-Crépin, to have tight boots on. Saint-Crépin is the patron saint of shoemakers.
Probité, f. (thieves’), kindness.
Si je ne suis pas si gironde (gentille) j’ai un bon cœur; tu l’as vu lorsque je lui portais le pagne à la Lorcefé (la provision à la Force); c’est là qu’il a pu juger si j’avais de la probité (bonté).—Vidocq.
Problème, m. (students’), watch chain in the possession of the owner. The problem is, how comes it that such an ornament is not at the pawnshop?
Produisante, f. (thieves’), the earth.
Profonde, or parfonde, f. (thieves’), cellar; pocket, “cly, sky-rocket, or brigh.”