Part 30

GRATTE, _f._ (popular), _itch_; _unlawful profits of shopmen on the sale of goods_, something like the “fluff” or profits on short change by railway ticket-clerks; _bonus allowed to shopmen_; ---- couenne, _barber_, “strap;” ---- pavé, _loiterer seeking for a living_, _one_ “on the mouch.”

GRATTÉE, _f._ (popular), _blows_, “props.”

GRATTE-PAPIER, _m._ (familiar and popular), _clerk_, or “quill-driver;” (military) _non-commissioned officer filling the functions of clerk_.

GRATTER (popular), _to shave_; _to thrash_, “to wallop.” See VOIE. Gratter, _to purloin portions of cloth, given for the making of apparel_; _to apprehend_. See PIPER. Gratter le papier, _to write_; _to be a clerk_, or “quill-driver;” ---- la couenne, _to shave_. En ----, _to perform on the dancing-rope_. Les frères qui en grattent, _rope-dancers_. Gratter les pavés, _to lead a life of poverty_.

GRATTOIR, GRATON, _m._ (popular), _razor_. Passer au ----, _to get shaved_, or “scraped.”

GRAVEUR SUR CUIR, _m._ (popular), _shoemaker_, “snob.”

GRÈCE, _f._ (familiar), _the tribe of card-sharpers_. Tomber dans la ----, _to become a card-sharper_. Vol à la ----, _card swindle_. (Thieves’) Grèce, or soulasse, _swindler who offers one a high profit on the change of gold coins, for which he substitutes base coin when the bargain has been struck_. A variety of the confidence trick. Vidocq thus describes the mode of operating of these gentry. A confederate forms an acquaintance with a farmer or country tradesman on a visit to town. While the new pair of friends are promenading, they are accosted by another confederate, who pretends to be a foreigner, and who exhibits gold coin which he wishes to exchange for silver. Subsequently the three adjourn to a wine-shop, where the pigeon, being entrusted with one of the coins, is requested to have it tested at a changer’s, when he finds it to be genuine. A bargain is soon struck, and, when the thieves have decamped, the victim finds that in exchange for sound silver coin he has received a case full of coppers or gunshot.

GRÉCER (thieves’), _to swindle at cards_. From “grec,” card-sharper.

GRECQUERIE, _f._ (familiar), _tribe of card-sharpers_.

GRÉER (naval), se ----, _to dress oneself_, “to rig oneself out.”

GREFFER (popular), _to be hungry_, “to be bandied.” Je greffe, or je déclare, _I am hungry_. (Thieves’) Greffer, _to steal an object by skilfully whisking it up_, “to nip.”

GREFFIER, _m._ (popular and thieves’), _cat_, or “long-tailed beggar.” From griffe, _claw_.

C’est la dabuche Michelon Qu’a pomaqué son greffier, Qui jacte par la venterne Qui le lui refilera, Le dab Lustucru Lui dit: “Dabuch’ Mich’lon, Allez! votre greffier n’est pas pomaqué; Il est dans le roulon, Qui fait la chasse aux tretons, Avec un bagaffre de fertange Et un fauchon de satou.”

Popular song of _C’est la mère Michel qui a perdu son chat_, in thieves’ cant, quoted by F. Michel.

GREFFIQUE, _f._ (roughs’), _the magistracy and lawyers_.

GREFIER (Breton cant), _cat_.

GRÊLE, _m. and f._ (popular), _master_, or “boss;” _master tailor_.

Ils ne nous exploiteront plus en maîtres, ces grêles.--=MACÉ.=

(Thieves’) Grêle, _row or fight_, “shindy.”

Il va y avoir de la grêle, c’est un raille.--=E. SUE.=

(Popular) Grêle, _pockmarks_. Ne pas s’être assuré contre la ----, _to be pockmarked_, or “to be cribbage-faced.”

GRÊLESSE, _f._ (popular), _mistress of an establishment_.

GRELOT, _m._ (popular), _voice_.

C’est bien le son du grelot, si ce n’est pas la frimousse.--=BALZAC.=

GRELOT, _tongue_, or “red rag.” Il en a un ----! _how he does jaw away_. Faire péter son ----, _to talk_, “to wag the red rag.” Mettre une sourdine à son ----, _to keep silent_, “to be mum.” Mets une sourdine à ton ----, _don’t talk so much_, “don’t shoot off your mouth” (Americanism).

GRELU, or GRENU, _m._ (thieves’), _corn_.

GRELUCHONNER (popular), _to be a_ “greluchon,” _that is, the lover of a married woman, or of a girl kept by another; or one who lives at the expense of a woman_. Voltaire has used the word greluchon with the first meaning.

GRENADIER, _m._ (popular), _louse_, “grey” or “grey-backed un.”

GRENAFE, GRENASSE, _f._ (thieves’), _barn_.

GRENIER, _m._ (popular), à coups de poing, _drunkard’s wife_; ---- à coups de sabre, _soldier’s woman_; ---- à lentilles, _pockmarked face_, or “cribbage face;” ---- à sel, _head_, “tibby,” or “canister.” See TRONCHE.

GRENOBLE. See CONDUITE.

GRENOUILLARD, _m._ (popular), _one fond of the water for the inside or outside_. (Artists’) Faire ----, _to paint in a bold, dashing style_, after the manner of Delacroix.

GRENOUILLE, _f._ (popular), _woman_. An insulting epithet; (military) _cash-box_. (General) Emporter la ----, _to abscond with the cash-box_. Manger la ----, _to spend for ones own purposes the contents of the cash-box, or funds entrusted to one’s keeping_. (Popular) Sirop de ----, _water_, “Adam’s ale.”

GRENOUILLER (popular), _to drink water_. Had formerly the signification of _to frequent wine-shops_.

GRENOUILLÈRE, _f._ (general), _swimming bath_. La Grenouillère is the name of a well-known swimming establishment on the bank of the Seine at Chatou, a place much patronized by “mashers” and more than fast ladies.

GRENU, or GRELU, _m._ (thieves’), _corn_.

GRENUCHE, _f._ (thieves’), _oats_.

GRENUE, GRENUSE, _f._ (thieves’), _flour_.

GRÈS, _m._ (thieves’), _horse_, or “prad.” Termed also “gail.”

GRÉSILLONNER (popular), _to ask for credit_, “tick,” “jawbone,” or “day.”

GRESSIER (thieves’), _to steal_, “to nick.” See GRINCHIR.

GRÈVE, _f._ (thieves’), hirondelle de ----, _gendarme_. Executions formerly took place at the Place de Grève in front of the Hôtel de Ville, hence the expression. Des anges de ---- (obsolete), _porters_.

GRÉVISTE, _m._ (popular), _workman on strike_. From grève, _strike_.

Du reste, la bande de grévistes ... ne viendrait plus à cette heure; quelque obstacle avait dû l’arrêter, des gendarmes peut être.--=ZOLA=, _Germinal_.

GRÉZILLON, _m._ (popular), _pinch_.

GRIBIS, GRIPIE, GRIPPIS, GRIPPE-FLEUR (thieves’), _miller_.

Il y avait en un certain tourniquet un gribis qui ne fichait rien que floutière aux bons pauvres.--_Le Jargon de l’Argot._ (_There used to be in a certain mill a miller who never gave anything to the worthy poor._)

GRIBLAGE, CRIBLAGE, _m._ (thieves’), _shout_, _shouting_; (popular) _complaint_, _grumbling_.

GRIE, _m._, GRIELLE, _f. adj._ (thieves’), _cold_.

GRIFFARD, GRIFFON, _m._ (popular), _cat_. Griffe, _claw_.

GRIFFARDE, _f._ (thieves’), _pen_.

GRIFFER (popular), _to seize_, “to collar;” _to take_; _to purloin_, “to prig.”

GRIFFETON, _m._ (popular), _soldier_, or “wobbler.” From grive, grivier, _a soldier_.

GRIFFLEUR, _m._ (thieves’), _chief warder in a prison_, “head screw.”

GRIFFON, _m._ (thieves’), _writer_.

GRIFFONNANTE, _f._ (thieves’), _pen_. Griffonner, _to write a scrawl_.

GRIFFONNER (thieves’), _to swear_.

GRIFFONNEUR, _m._ (thieves’), _one who swears_; (popular) ---- de babillards, _journalist_.

GRIFLER (thieves’), _to take_, “to grab.”

GRIFON (Breton cant), _dog_.

GRIGNOLET, _m._ (popular), _bread_, “soft tommy.”

GRIGNON, _m._ (thieves’), _judge_, “beak.” Probably from “grigner les dents,” _to show one’s teeth threateningly_, or from “grognon.”

GRILLÉE, _adj._ (familiar), _absinthe_; _absinthe with sugar_. The sugar is held over the glass on a small grating (grille), until gradually melted by the liquid poured over it.

GRILLER (popular), quelqu’un, _to lock up one_, “to run in;” _to deceive one_ (_conjugally_). En ---- une, _to smoke a pipe or cigarette_. En ---- une sèche, _to smoke a cigarette_. Griller une bouffarde, _to smoke a pipe_.

Au gardien de la paix ... sa consigne lui défend de boire et de fumer. Ni boire un verre, ni griller une bouffarde! Voilà la consigne.--_Mémoires de Monsieur Claude._

GRILLEUSE DE BLANC, _f._ (popular), _ironer_. From griller, _to toast_, _to singe_.

GRIMER (popular), _to arrest_. See PIPER. Se ----, _to get drunk_, or “screwed.” Properly _to paint one’s face_. For synonyms see SCULPTER.

GRIMOIRE, _m._ (thieves’), _penal code_; ---- mouchique, _judicial documents_; _act of indictment_.

GRIMOIRIER, _m._ (thieves’), _clerk of arraigns_.

GRIMPANT, _adj. and m._ (thieves’), chevalier ----, voleur au bonjour, donneur de bonjour, or bonjourier, _thief who enters a house, pretending to be mistaken when discovered, and steals any property worth taking_. (Popular) Un grimpant, _trousers_, “sit-upons, or kicks.” (Popular and thieves’) Les grimpants, _staircase_; _steps_, or “dancers.” (Military) Grand ---- tropical, _riding breeches_.

GRIMPE-CHATS, _m._ (popular), _roof_.

GRINCHAGE (thieves’), for GRINCHISSAGE, which see.

Un journal racontait hier que T’Kindt était, du reste, un vrai artiste en matière de grinchage, appliqué au _high-life_.--=PIERRE VÉRON=, _Evénement_ au 9 Novembre, 1878.

GRINCHE, _m. and f._ (thieves’), la ----, _dancing_. Un ----, _a thief_, or “prig.”

Le Grinche, terme d’argot signifiant voleur, a servi de titre à un journal Montagnard qui a fait paraître deux numéros au mois de juin, 1848.--=G. BRUNET=, _Dictionnaire de la Conversation et de la Lecture_.

Nous étions dix à douze, Tous grinches de renom; Nous attendions la sorgue, Voulant poisser des bogues, Pour faire du billon.

=VIDOCQ.=

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_.