Part 17

CHOCNOSO, CHOCNOSOF, CHOCNOSOGUE, KOSCNOFF, _excellent_, _remarkable_, _brilliant_, “crushing,” “nobby,” “tip-top,” “fizzing.”

CHOCOTTE, _f._ (rag-pickers’), _marrow bone_; (thieves’) _tooth_.

CHOLÉRA, _m._ (popular), _zinc or zinc-worker_; _bad meat_.

CHOLET, _m._ (popular), _white bread of superior quality_.

CHOLETTE, _f._ (thieves’), _half a litre_. Double ----, _a litre_.

CHOPER (popular), _to steal_, “to prig.” See GRINCHIR. Old word choper, _to touch anything_, _to make it fall_. Se laisser ----, _to allow oneself to be caught_, _to be_ “nabbed.”

CHOPIN, _m._ (thieves’), _theft_; _stolen object_; _blow_. Faire un ----, _to commit a theft_.

CHOSE, _adj._ (familiar and popular), _ill at ease_; _sad_; _embarrassed_. Il prit un air ----, _he looked sad or embarrassed_. Je me sens tout ----, _I feel ill at ease_; _queer_.

CHOU! (thieves’ and cads’), _a warning cry to intimate that the police or people are coming up_. Termed also “Acresto!”

CHOUCARDE, _f._ (military), _wheelbarrow_.

CHOUCHOUTER (familiar), _to fondle_, “to firkytoodle;” _to spoil one_. From chouchou, _darling_.

CHOU COLOSSAL, _m._ (familiar), _a scheme for swindling the public by fabulous accounts of future profits_.

CHOUCROUTE, _f._ (popular), tête or mangeur de ----, _a German_.

CHOUCROUTER (popular), _to eat sauerkraut_; _to speak German_.

CHOUCROUTEUR, CHOUCROUTMANN, _m._, _German_.

CHOUETTE, CHOUETTARD, CHOUETTAUD, _adj._, _good_; _fine_; _perfect_, “chummy,” “real jam,” “true marmalade.” C’est rien ----, _that’s first-class!_ Quel ---- temps, _what splendid weather!_ Un ---- régiment, _a crack regiment_. (Disparagingly) Nous sommes ----, _we are in a fine pickle_.

CHOUETTE, _f. and adj._ (thieves’), être ----, _to be caught_. Faire une ----, _to play at billiards against two other players_.

CHOUETTEMENT (popular), _finely_; _perfectly_.

CHOUEZ (Breton), _house_; ---- doue, _church_.

CHOUFFLIC (popular), _bad workman_. In the German schuflick, _cobbler_.

CHOUFFLIQUER (popular), _to work in a clumsy manner_.

CHOUFFLIQUEUR, _m._ (popular), _bad workman_; (military) _shoemaker_, “snob.”

CHOUFRETEZ (Breton), _lucifer matches_.

CHOUIA (military), _gently_. From the Arabic.

CHOUIL (Breton), _work_; _insect_.

CHOUILA (Breton cant), _to work_; _to beget many children_.

CHOUISTA (Breton), _to work with a will_.

CHOUMAQUE (popular), _shoemaker_. From the German.

CHOURIN, for SURIN (thieves’), _knife_, “chive.”

Si j’ai pas l’rond, mon surin bouge. Moi, c’est dans le sang qu’ j’aurais truqué. Mais quand on fait suer, pomaqué! Mieux vaut bouffer du blanc qu’ du rouge.

=RICHEPIN=, _Chanson des Gueux_.

CHOURINER, for SURINER (thieves’), _to knife_, “to chive.”

CHOURINEUR, _m._, for SURINEUR (thieves’), _one who uses the knife_; _knacker_. “Le Chourineur” is one of the characters of Eugène Sue’s _Mystères de Paris_.

C’HOUSA (Breton), _to eat_.

C’HOUSACH (Breton), _food_.

CHRÉTIEN, _adj._ (popular), _mixed with water_, “baptized.”

CHRÉTIEN, _m._ (popular), viande de ----, _human flesh_.

CHRYSALIDE, _f._ (popular), _old coquette_.

CHTIBES, _f. pl._ (popular), _boots_, “hock-dockies.”

CHYBRE, _m._ (popular), see FLAGEOLET; (artists’) _member of the Institut de France_.

CHYLE, _m._ (familiar), se refaire le ----, _to have a good meal_, a “tightener.”

CIBICHE, _f._ (popular), _cigarette_.

CIBLE, _f._ (popular), à coups de pieds, _breech_. See VASISTAS.

CIBOULE, _f._ (popular), _head_, or “block.” See TRONCHE.

CIDRE ÉLÉGANT, _m._ (familiar), _champagne_, “fiz,” or “boy.”

CIEL, _m._ (fishermens’), le ---- plumant ses poules, _clouds_.

Les nuages, c’était le ciel plumant ses poules, Et la foudre en éclats, Michel cassant ses œufs. Il appelait le vent du sud cornemuseux, Celui du nord cornard, de l’ouest brise à grenouille, Celui de suroit l’brouf, celui de terre andouille.

=RICHEPIN=, _La Mer_.

CIERGE, _m._ (thieves’), _police officer_, or “reeler.” For synonyms see POT-À-TABAC.

CIG, _m._, CIGALE, or SIGUE, _f._ (thieves’), _gold coin_, or “yellow boy.”

CIGALE, _f._ (popular), _female street singer_. Properly _grasshopper_; also _cigar_.

CIGOGNE, _f._ (thieves’), _the “Préfecture de Police” in Paris_; _the Palais de Justice_; _court of justice_. Le dab de la ----, _the public prosecutor_; _the prefect of police_.

Je monte à la cigogne. On me gerbe à la grotte, Au tap, et pour douze ans.

=VIDOCQ.=

CIGUE, _f._ (thieves’), abbreviation of cigale, _twenty-franc piece_.

CIMAISE (painters’), faire sa ---- sur quelqu’un, _to show up one’s own good qualities, whether real or imaginary, at the expense of another’s failings_, in other words, _to preach for one’s own chapel_.

CIMENT, _m._ (freemasons’), _mustard_.

CINGLER (thieves’), se ---- le blair, _to get drunk_, or “canon.”

CINQ-À-SEPT, _m._, _a kind of tea party from five o’clock to seven in the fashionable world_.

CINQ-CENTIMADAS, _m._ (ironical), _one-sou cigar_.

CINTIÈME, _m._ (popular), _high cap generally worn by women’s bullies_, or “pensioners.”

CINTRER (popular), _to hold_; (thieves’) ---- en pogne, _to seize hold of_; _to apprehend_, or “to smug.” See PIPER.

CIPAL, _m._ (popular), abbreviation of garde-municipal. The “garde municipale” is a picked body of old soldiers who furnish guards and perform police functions at theatres, official ceremonies, police courts, &c. It consists of infantry and cavalry, and is in the pay of the Paris municipal authorities, most of the men having been non-commissioned officers in the army.

CIRAGE, _m._ (popular), _praise_, “soft sawder,” “butter.”

CIRE, _f._, voleur à la ----, _rogue who steals a silver fork or spoon at a restaurant, and makes it adhere under the table by means of a piece of soft wax_. When charged with the theft, he puts on an air of injured innocence, and asks to be searched; then leaves with ample apologies from the master of the restaurant. Soon after a confederate enters, taking his friend’s former seat at the table, and pocketing the booty.

CIRÉ, _m._ (popular), _negro_. From cirer, _to black shoes_. Termed also “boîte à cirage, bamboula, boule de neige, bille de pot au feu.”

CIRER (popular), _to praise_; _to flatter_, “to butter.”

CIREUX, _m._ (popular), _one with inflamed eyelids_.

CISEAUX, _m. pl._ (literary), travailler à coups de ----, _to compile_.

CITÉ, _f._ (popular), d’amour, _gay girl_, “bed-fagot.”

Je l’ai traitée comme elle le méritait. Je l’ai appelée feignante, cité d’amour, chenille, machine à plaisir.--=MACÉ.=

CITRON, _m._ (theatrical), _squeaky note_; (thieves’ and cads’) _the head_, “nut,” or “chump.” Termed also “tronche, sorbonne, poire, cafetière, trognon, citrouille.”

CITROUILLE, _f._, CITROUILLARD, _m._ (military), _dragoon_; (thieves’) _head_, “nut,” or “tibby.”

CIVADE, _f._ (thieves’), _oats_.

CIVARD, _m._ (popular), _pasture_.

CIVE, _f._ (popular), _grass_.

CLAIRS, _m. pl._ (thieves’), _eyes_, or “glaziers.” See MIRETTES. Souffler ses ----, _to sleep_, to “doss,” or to have a “dose of the balmy.”

CLAIRTÉ, _f._ (popular), _light_; _beauty_.

CLAMPINER (popular), _to idle about_; _to lounge about lazily_, “to mike.”

CLAPOTER (popular), _to eat_, “to grub.” See MASTIQUER.

CLAQUÉ, _m. and adj._ (popular), _dead_, _dead man_. La boîte aux claqués, _the Morgue, or Paris dead-house_. Le jardin des claqués, _the cemetery_.

CLAQUEBOSSE, _m._ (popular), _house of ill-fame_, or “nanny-shop.”

CLAQUEDENTS, _m._ (popular), _house of ill-fame_, “nanny-shop;” _gaming-house_, or “punting-shop;” _low eating-house_.

CLAQUEFAIM, _m._ (popular), _starving man_.

CLAQUEPATINS, _m._ (popular), _miserable slipshod person_.

Venez à moi, claquepatins, Loqueteux, joueurs de musette, Clampins, loupeurs, voyous, catins.

=RICHEPIN.=

The early French poet Villon uses the word “cliquepatin” with the same signification.

CLAQUER (familiar), _to die_, “to croak;” _to eat_; _to sell_; ---- ses meubles, _to sell one’s furniture_; ---- du bec, _to be very hungry without any means of satisfying one’s craving for food_.

CLAQUES, _f. pl._ (familiar and popular), une figure à ----, _face with an impudent expression that invites punishment_.

CLARINETTE, _f._ (military), de cinq pieds, _musket, formerly_ “Brown Bess.”

CLASSE, _f._ (popular), un ---- dirigeant, _said ironically of one of the upper classes_.

CLAVIN, _m._ (thieves’), _nail_; _grapes_.

CLAVINE, _f._ (thieves’), _vine_.

CLAVINER (thieves’), _to nail_; _to gather grapes_.

CLAVINEUR, _m._ (thieves’), _vine-dresser_.

CLAVINIER, _m._ (thieves’), _nail-maker_.

CLEF, _f._ (familiar), à la ----. See A LA. Perdre sa ----, _to suffer from colic_, or “botts.” (Military) La ---- du champ de manœuvre, _imaginary object which recruits are requested by practical jokers to go and ask of the sergeant_.

CLIABEAU, _m._, expression used by the prisoners of Saint-Lazare, _doctor_.

CLICHE, _f._ (popular), _diarrhœa_, or “jerry-go-nimble.”

CLICHÉ, _m._ (familiar), _commonplace sentence ready made_; _commonplace metaphor_; _well-worn platitude_. (Printers’) Tirer son ----, _to be always repeating the same thing_.

CLIENT, _m._ (thieves’), _victim, or intended victim_.

CLIGNER (military), des œillets, _to squint_, _to be_ “boss-eyed.”

CLIGNOTS, _m. pl._ (popular), _eyes_, “peepers.” Baver des ----, _to weep_, “to nap a bib.” See MIRETTES.

CLIPET, _m._ (thieves’), _voice_.

CLIQUE, _f._ (popular), _scamp_, or “bad egg;” _diarrhœa_, or “jerry-go-nimble.” (Military) La ----, _the squad of drummers and buglers_.

Exempts de service, ils exercent généralement une profession quelconque (barbier, tailleur, ajusteur de guêtres, etc.) qui leur rapporte quelques bénéfices. Ayant ainsi plus de temps et plus d’argent à dépenser que leurs camarades, ils ont une réputation, assez bien justifiée d’ailleurs, de bambocheurs; de là, ce nom de clique qu’on leur donne.--_La Langue Verte du Troupier._

CLIQUETTES, _f. pl._ (popular), _ears_, or “wattles.”

CLODOCHE, _m._ (familiar), _description of professional comic dancer with extraordinarily supple legs, such as the Girards brothers, of Alhambra celebrity_.

CLOPORTE, _m._ (familiar), _door-keeper_. Properly _woodlouse_. A pun on the words clôt porte.

CLOU, _m._ (military), _guard-room_; _cells_, “jigger;” _bayonet_. Coller au ----, _to imprison_, “to roost.” (Popular) Clou, _bad workman_; _pawnshop_. Mettre au ----, _to pawn_, _to put_ “in lug.” Clou de girofle, _decayed black tooth_. (Theatrical and literary) Le ---- d’une pièce, d’un roman, _the chief point of interest in a play or novel_, literally _a nail on which the whole fabric hangs_.

CLOUER (popular), _to imprison_, “to run in;” _to pawn_, “to blue, to spout, to lumber.”

CLOUS, _m. pl._ (popular), _tools_. (Printers’) Petits ----, _type_. Lever les petits ----, _to compose_. (Military) Clous, _foot-soldiers_, or “mud-crushers.”

COAGULER (familiar), se ----, _to get drunk_. See SCULPTER.

CÔBIER, _m._, _heap of salt in salt-marshes_.

COCANGES, _f. pl._ (thieves’), _walnut-shells_. Jeu de ----, _game of swindlers at fairs_.

COCANGEUR, _m._ (thieves’), _swindler_. See COCANGES.

COCANTIN, _m._ (popular), _business agent acting as a medium between a debtor and a creditor_.

COCARDE, _f._ (popular), _head_. Avoir sa ----, _to be tipsy_. Taper sur la ----, _is said of wine which gets into the head_.

Ma joie et surtout l’petit bleu Ça m’a tapé sur la cocarde!

_Parisian Song._

COCARDER (popular), se ----, _to get tipsy_. See SCULPTER.

Tout se passait très gentiment, on était gai, il ne fallait pas maintenant se cocarder cochonnement, si l’on voulait respecter les dames.--=ZOLA=, _L’Assommoir_.

COCARDIER, _m._ (military), _military man passionately fond of his profession_.

COCASSERIE, _f._ (familiar), _strange or grotesque saying, writing, or deed_.

COCHE, _f._ (popular), _fat, red-faced woman_.

COCHON, _m._ (popular), de bonheur! (ironical) _no luck!_ Ça n’est pas trop ----, _that’s not so bad_. C’est pas ---- du tout, _that’s very nice_. Mon pauvre ----, je ne te dis que ça! _my poor fellow, you are in for it!_ Etre ----, _to be lewd_. Se conduire comme un ----, _to behave in a mean, despicable way_. Soigner son ----, _is said of one who lives too well_. Un costume ----, _a suggestive dress_.

COCHONNE, _f._ (popular), _lewd girl_. (Ironically) Elle n’est pas jolie, mais elle est si cochonne!

COCHONNEMENT, _adv._ (popular), _in a disgusting manner_.

COCHONNERIE, _f._ (popular), _any article of food having pork for a basis_.

COCHONNERIES, _f. pl._ (popular), _indecent talk or actions_.

COCO, _m._ (military), _horse_. La botte à ----, _trumpet call for stables_, (literally) La botte de foin à coco. (Popular) Coco, _brandy_; _head_. See TRONCHE. Avoir le ---- déplumé, _to be bald, or to have a_ “bladder of lard.” For synonymous expressions, see AVOIR. Avoir le ---- fêlé, _to be cracked_, “to be a little bit balmy in one’s crumpet.” For synonyms see AVOIR. Colle-toi ça dans le ----, or passe-toi ça par le ----, _eat that or drink that_. Dévisser le ----, _to strangle_. Monter le ----, _to excite_. Se monter le ----, _to get excited_; _to be too sanguine_. Il a graissé la patte à ----, _is said of a man who has bungled over some affair_. (Familiar) Coco épileptique, _champagne wine_, “fiz,” or “boy.”

COCODÈTE, _f._ (familiar), _stylish woman always dressed according to the latest fashion_, a “dasher.”

COCONS, _m. pl._, stands for co-conscrits, _first-term students at the Ecole Polytechnique_.

COCOTTE, _f._ (popular), _term of endearment to horses_. Allons, hue ----! _pull up, my beauty!_ (Familiar and popular) Cocotte, _a more than fast girl or woman_, a “pretty horse-breaker,” see GADOUE; (theatrical) _addition made by singers to an original theme_.

COCOTTERIE, _f._ (familiar), _the world of the cocottes_. See COCOTTE.

COCOVIEILLES, _f. pl._, _name given by fashionable young ladies of the aristocracy to their old-fashioned elders, who return the compliment by dubbing them_ “cocosottes.”

COCUFIEUR, _m._ (popular), _one who cuckoos, that is, one who lays himself open to being called to account by an injured husband as the co-respondent in the divorce court_.

COENNE, or COUENNE, _f._ (thieves’), de lard, _brush_. (Familiar and popular) Couenne, _stupid man_, _dunce_.

COËRE, _m._ (thieves’), le grand ----, _formerly the king of rogues_.

CŒUR, _m._ (popular), jeter du ---- sur le carreau, _to vomit_. A pun on the words “hearts” and “diamonds” of cards on the one hand, avoir mal au ----, _to feel sick_, and “carreau,” _flooring_, on the other. Valet de ----, _lover_.

CŒUR D’ARTICHAUT, _m._ (popular), _man or woman with an inflammable heart_.

Paillasson, quoi! cœur d’artichaut, C’est mon genre; un’ feuille pour tout l’monde, Au jour d’aujourd’hui j’gobe la blonde; Après d’main, c’est la brun’ qu’i m’faut.

=GILL=, _La Muse à Bibi_.

COFFIER (thieves’), abbreviation of escoffier, _to kill_, “to cook one’s gruel.”

COFFIN, _m._, _peculiar kind of desk at the Ecole Polytechnique_. From the inventor’s name, General Coffinières.

COGNAC, _m._ (thieves’), _gendarme or police officer_, “crusher,” “copper,” or “reeler.” See POT-À-TABAC.

COGNADE, _f._, or COGNE (thieves’), _gendarmerie_.

COGNARD, _m._, or COGNE, _gendarme and gendarmerie_; _police officer_, “copper.”

COGNE, _m. and f._ (thieves’), la ----, _the police_. Un ----, _a police officer_, or “reeler.” See POT-À-TABAC. Also _brandy_. Un noir de trois ronds sans ----, _a three-halfpenny cup of coffee without brandy_.

COIFFER (popular), _to slap_; _to deceive one’s husband_. Se ---- de quelqu’un, _to take a fancy to one_.

COIN, _m._ (popular), c’est un ---- sans i, _he is a fool_.

COIRE (thieves’), _farm_; _chief_.

Je rencontrai des camarades qui avaient aussi fait leur temps ou cassé leur ficelle. Leur coire me proposa d’être des leurs, on faisait la grande soulasse sur le trimar.--=V. HUGO.=

COL, _m._ (familiar), cassé, _dandy_, or “masher.” Se pousser du ----, _to assume an air of self-importance or conceit_, “to look gumptious;” _to praise oneself up_. An allusion to the motion of one’s hand under the chin when about to make an important statement.

COLAS, COLABRE, or COLIN, _m._ (thieves’), _neck_, or “scrag.” Faire suer le ----, _to strangle_. Rafraîchir le ----, _to guillotine_. Rafraîchir means _to trim_ in the expression, “Rafraîchir les cheveux.”

COLBACK, _m._ (military), _raw recruit_, or “Johnny raw.” An allusion to his unkempt hair, similar to a busby or bearskin cap.

COLIN. See COLAS.

COLLABO, _m._ (literary), abbreviation of collaborateur.

COLLAGE, _m._ (familiar), _living as husband and wife in an unmarried state_.

L’une après l’autre--en camarade-- C’est rupin, mais l’ collage, bon Dieu! Toujours la mêm’ chauffeus’ de pieu! M’en parlez pas! Ça m’rend malade.

=GILL=, _La Muse à Bibi_.

Un ---- d’argent, _the action of a woman who lives with a man as his wife from mercenary motives_.

C’était selon la manie de ce corrupteur de mineures, le sceau avec lequel il cimentait ce que Madame Cornette appelait, en terme du métier, ses collages d’argent!--_Mémoires de Monsieur Claude._

COLLANT, _m._ (familiar), _is said of one not easily got rid of_; (military) _drawers_.

COLLARDE, _m._ (thieves’), _prisoner_, _one_ “doing time.”

COLLE, _f._ (students’), _weekly or other periodical oral examinations to prepare for a final examination, or to make up the marks which pass one at the end of the year_.

COLLÈGE, _m._ (thieves’), _prison_, or “stir.” See MOTTE. Un ami de ----, _a prison chum_. Les collèges de Pantin, _the Paris prisons_.

COLLÉGIEN, _m._ (thieves’), _prisoner_.

COLLER (students’), _to stop one’s leave_; _to orally examine at periodical examinations_. Se faire ----, _to get plucked or_ “ploughed” _at an examination_. (Popular) Coller, _to place_; _to put_; _to give_; _to throw_; ---- au bloc, _to imprison_, “to run in;” ---- des châtaignes, _to thrash_, “to wallop.” See VOIE. Se ---- dans le pieu, _to go to bed_. Se ---- une biture, _to get drunk_, or “screwed.” See SCULPTER. Colle-toi là, _place yourself there_. Colle-toi ça dans le fusil, _eat or drink that_. Colle-toi ça dans la coloquinte, _bear that in mind_. (Military) Coller au bloc, _to send to the guard-room_. Collez-moi ce clampin-là au bloc, _take that lazy bones to the guard-room_. (Familiar and popular) Se ----, _to live as man and wife, to live_ “a tally.” Se faire ----, _to be nonplussed_. S’en ---- par le bec, _to eat to excess_, “to scorf.” S’en ---- pour, _to go to the expense of_. Je m’en suis collé pour dix francs, _I spent ten francs over it_.

COLLETINER (thieves’), _to collar_, _to apprehend_, “to smug.” See PIPER.

COLLEUR, _m._ (students’), _professor whose functions are to orally examine at certain periods students at private or public establishments; man who gets quickly intimate_ or “thick” _with one, who_ “cottons on to one.”

COLLIER, or COULANT, _m._ (thieves’), _cravat_, or “neckinger.”

COLLIGNON, _m._ (popular), _cabby_. An allusion to a coachman of that name who murdered his fare. The cry, “Ohé, Collignon!” is about the worst insult one can offer a Paris coachman, and he is not slow to resent it.

COLOMBE, _f._ (players’), _queen of cards_.

COLOMBÉ, _adj._ (thieves’), _known_.

COLON, _m._ (soldiers’), _colonel_. Petit ----, _lieutenant-colonel_.

COLONNE, _f._ (military), chapeau en ----, see BATAILLE. (Popular) N’avoir pas chié la ----, _to be devoid of any talent_, _not to be able to set the Thames on fire_. Démolir la ----, _to void urine_, “to lag.”

COLOQUINTE, _f._ (popular and thieves’), _head_. Avoir une araignée dans la ----, _to be cracked_, or “to have a bee in one’s bonnet.” Charlot va jouer à la boule avec ta ----, _Jack Ketch will play skittles with your canister_.

COLTIGER (thieves’), _to arrest_; _to seize_, to “smug.”

C’est dans la rue du Mail Où j’ai été coltigé Par trois coquins de railles.

=V. HUGO=, _Le Dernier Jour d’un Condamné_.

COLTIN, _m._ (popular), _strength_. Properly _shoulder-strap_.

COLTINER (popular), _to ply the trade of a porter_; _to draw a hand-cart by means of a shoulder-strap_.

COLTINEUR, _m._ (popular), _man who draws a hand-cart with a shoulder-strap_.

COLTINEUSE (popular), _female who does rough work_.

COMBERGE, COMBERGEANTE, _f._ (thieves’), _confession_.

COMBERGER (thieves’), _to reckon up_; _to confess_.

COMBERGO (thieves’), _confessional_.

COMBLANCE, _f._ (thieves’), par ----, _into the bargain_.

J’ai fait par comblance Gironde larguecapé.

=VIDOCQ.=

COMBLE, COMBRE, COMBRIAU, COMBRIEU, _m._ (thieves’), _hat_, “tile.” See TUBARD.

COMBRIE, _f._ (thieves’), _one-franc piece_.

COMBRIER, _m._ (thieves’), _hat-maker_.

COMBRIEU. See COMBLE.

COMBROUSIER, _m._ (thieves’), _peasant_, or “clod.”

COMBUSTIBLE, _m._ (popular), du ----! _exclamation used to urge one on, On! go it!_

COME, _m._ (thieves’), _formerly a guard on board the galleys_.

COMÉDIE, _f._ (popular), envoyer à la ----, _to dismiss a workman for want of work to give him_. Etre à la ----, _to be out of work_, “out of collar.”

COMESTAUX, _m. pl._ (popular), for comestibles, _articles of food_, “toke.”

COMÈTE, _f._ (popular), _vagrant_, _tramp_. Filer la ----, or la sorgue, _to sleep in the open air_, or “to skipper it.”

COMIQUES, _m. pl._ (theatrical), jouer les ---- habillés, _to represent a comic character in modern costume_.

COMMANDER (thieves’), à cuire, _to send to the scaffold_.

COMMANDITE, _f._ (printers’), _association of workmen who join together for the performance of any work_.

COMME IF (popular), ironical for comme il faut, _genteel._ T’as rien l’air ----! _What a swell you look, oh crikey!_

COMMISSAIRE, _m._ (popular), _pint or pitcher of wine_. An allusion to the black robe which police magistrates wore formerly. Le cabot du ----, _the police magistrate’s secretary_. See CHIEN.

COMMODE, _f._ (thieves’), _chimney_. (Popular) Une ---- à deux ressorts, _a vehicle_, or “trap.”

COMMUNARD or COMMUNEUX, _m._, _one of the insurgents of 1871_.

COMMUNIQUÉ, _m._ (familiar), _official communication to newspapers_.

COMP. See CAN.

COMPAS, _m._ (popular), ouvrir le ----, _to walk_. Allonger le ----, _to walk briskly_. Fermer le ----, _to stop walking_.

COMPLET, _adj._ (popular), être ----, _to be quite drunk_, or “slewed.” (Familiar) Etre ----, _to be perfectly ridiculous_.

COMPRENDRE (thieves’), la ----, _to steal_, “to claim.” See GRINCHIR.

COMPTE (popular), avoir son ----, _to be tipsy_, or “screwed;” _to die_, “to snuff it.” Son ---- est bon, _he is in for it_.

COMPTER (musicians’), des payses, _to sleep_; (popular) ---- ses chemises, _to vomit_, “to cast up accounts.”

COMTE, _m._ (thieves’), de caruche, or de canton, _jailor_, or “jigger dubber;” ---- de castu, _hospital superintendent_; ---- de gigot-fin, _one who likes to live well_.

COMTOIS, _adj._ (thieves’), battre ----, _to dissemble_; _to play the fool_.

CONASSE, or CONNASSE, _f._ (prostitutes’), _a stupid or modest woman_.

Elles vantent leur savoir-faire, elles reprochent à leurs camarades leur impéritie, et leur donnent le nom de conasse, expression par laquelle elles désignent ordinairement une femme honnête.--=PARENT-DUCHATELET=, _De la Prostitution_.

CONDÉ, _m._ (thieves’), _mayor_; demi ----, _alderman_; grand ----, _prefect_; ---- franc, _corrupt magistrate_.

CONDICE, _f._ (thieves’), _cage in which convicts are confined on their passage to the convict settlements_.

CONDITION, _f._ (thieves’), _house_, “diggings,” or “hangs out.” Faire une ----, _to break into a house_, “to crack a crib.” Filer une ----, _to watch a house in view of an intended burglary_. (Popular) Acheter une ----, _to lead a new mode of life_, _to turn over a new leaf_.

CONDUITE, _f._ (popular), faire la ----, _to drive away and thrash_. Faire la ---- de Grenoble, _to put one out of doors_.

CONE, _f._ (thieves’), _death_.