Part 34
LANCIERS, _m. pl._ (popular), oui, les ----! _nonsense!_ “tell that to the marines!” “how’s your brother Job?” or “do you see any green in my eye?”
LANDAU À BALEINES, _m._ (popular), _umbrella_, “mush, or rain-napper.”
LANDERNAU, _m._ (familiar), _name of a small town in Brittany_. Il y aura du bruit dans ----, _is said of an insignificant event which will set going the tongues of people who have nothing else to do_. The expression has passed into the language.
LANDIER, _m. and adj._ (thieves’), official of the octroi. The “octroi” is the office established at the gates of a town for the collection of a tax due for the introduction of certain articles of food or drink. (Thieves’) Landier, _white_.
LANDIÈRE, _f._ (old cant), _stall at a fair_.
On sait que le Landit était une foire célèbre qui se tenait à Saint-Denis.--MICHEL.
LANDREUX, _adj._ (popular), _invalid_.
LANGOUSTE, _f._ (popular), _simpleton_, _greenhorn_, “flat.”
LANGUE, _f._ (familiar), verte, _slang of gamesters_. Also _slang_. The expression is Delvau’s. (Popular) Avaler sa ----, _to die_, “to kick the bucket.” See PIPE. Prendre sa ---- des dimanches, _to use choice language_. (Familiar and popular) Une ---- fourrée, _lingua duplex, id est quum basiis lingua linguæ promiscetur_ (=RIGAUD=).
LANGUINEUR, _m._ (popular), _man whose functions are to examine the tongues of pigs at the slaughter-house to ascertain that they are not diseased_.
LANSQUAILLER (thieves’). See LASCAILLER.
LANSQUE (popular), abbreviation of lansquenet.
LANSQUINAGE, _m._ (thieves’), _weeping_.
LANSQUINE, _f._ (thieves’), _rain_, or “parny.”
Aussi j’suis gai quand la lansquine, M’a trempé l’cuir, j’ m’essuie l’échine Dans l’vent qui passe et m’fait joli.
=RICHEPIN.=
Lansquiner (thieves’ and cads’), _to rain_; ---- des chasses, _to weep_, “to nap a bib.”
LANTEOZ (Breton cant), _butter_.
LANTERNE, _f._ (popular), _window_, “jump.” Radouber la ----, _to talk_, _to tattle_. The expression is old. Avoir la ----, or se taper sur la ----, _to be hungry_, “to be bandied, or to cry cupboard.” Vieille ----, _old prostitute_. See GADOUE. (Popular) Lanternes de cabriolet, _large goggle eyes_.
Oh! c’est vrai! t’as les yeux comme les lanternes de ton cabriolet.--=GAVARNI.=
LANTIMÈCHE, _m._ (popular), _lamp-lighter_; _also a word equivalent to_ “thingumbob.” Il a filé avec ---- pour mener les poules pisser, _a derisive reply to one inquiring about the whereabouts of a person_.
LANTURLU, _m._ (popular), _madcap_.
LAOU PHARAOU (Breton cant), _body lice_.
LAPIN, _m._ (popular), _apprentice_. Des lapins, _shoes_, or “trotter-cases.” (Familiar and popular) Lapin, _a clever or sturdy fellow_.
Ah! tu es un lapin! ... lui disaient tous ceux qu’il abordait, il paraît que tu viens de faire une fameuse découverte! on parle de toi pour la croix!--=E. GABORIAU=, _M. Lecoq_.
Etre en ----, _to ride by the side of the coachman_. Un ---- de gouttière, _cat_, or “long-tailed beggar.” Coller or poser un ----, _to deceive_, _to take in_, “to bilk.” It is said the expression draws its origin from the practice of certain sportsmen who used to invite themselves to dinner at some friend’s house in the country, and repaid their host by leaving a rabbit as a compensation. The _Slang Dictionary_ says that when a person gets the worst of a bargain he is said “to have bought the rabbit,” from an old story about a man selling a cat to a foreigner for a rabbit. With reference to deceiving prostitutes the act is described in the English slang as “doing a bilk.”
Je vous demande pardon, mais le vocable est consacré. “Poser un lapin” fut longtemps une définition malséante, bannie des salons où l’on cause. Maintenant, elle est admise entre gens de bonne compagnie, et le lapin cesse, dans les mots, de braver l’honnêteté.--=MAXIME BOUCHERON.=
Un fameux, or rude ----, _a strong fearless man_, _one who is_ “spry.”
L’homme qui me rendra rêveuse pourra se vanter d’être un rude lapin.--=GAVARNI.=
Also _a man who begets many children_. Voler au ----, or étouffer un ----, _is said of a bus conductor who swindles his employers by pocketing part of the fares_. Mon vieux ----! _old fellow!_ “old cock!” (Thieves’) Lapin ferré, _mounted gendarme_. (Printers’) Manger un ----, _to attend a comrade’s funeral_.
Cette locution vient sans doute de ce que, à l’issue de la cérémonie funèbre, les assistants se réunissaient autrefois dans quelque restaurant avoisinant le cimetière et, en guise de repas de funérailles, mangeaient un lapin plus ou moins authentique.--=BOUTMY.=
Concerning this expression, there is an anecdote of a typo who was lying in hospital at the point of death, and who informed his sorrowing friends that he would try and wait till the Friday morning, so that they might have all the Saturday and Sunday for the funeral feast.
Je tâcherai d’aller jusqu’à demain soir ... parceque les amis auraient ainsi samedi et dimanche pour boulotter mon “lapin.” Cela ne vaut-il pas le “plaudite!” de l’empereur Auguste, ou le “Baissez le rideau, la farce est jouée!” de notre vieux Rabelais?--=BOUTMY.=
(Familiar and popular) C’est le ---- qui a commencé _is said ironically in allusion to a difference or fight between a strong man and a weak one, when the latter is worsted and blamed into the bargain_. A cartoon of the late artist Gill, on the occasion of the assassination of Victor Noir by Pierre Bonaparte in the last days of the Third Empire, depicted the two principal actors in that mysterious affair under the features of a fierce bull-dog and a rabbit, with the saying, “C’est le lapin qui a commencé,” for a text line.
LAPINER (general), _to cheat a prostitute by not paying her her dues_.
LAQUEUSE, _f._ (familiar and popular), _cocotte who walks in the vicinity of the lake at the Bois de Boulogne_. See GADOUE.
LARANTQUÉ, _m._ (popular and thieves’), _two-franc coin_.
LARBIN, _m._ (general), _man-servant_, _footman_, “flunkey,” or “bone-picker.”
Le savoureux Lebeau ... ancien valet de pied aux Tuileries, laissait voir le hideux larbin qu’il était, âpre au gain et à la curée.--=A. DAUDET=, _Les Rois en Exil_.
(Popular) Larbin savonné, _knave of cards_.
LARBINE, _f._ (popular), _maid-servant_, “slavey.”
LARBINERIE, _f._ (familiar), _set of servants_, “flunkeydom, or flunkeyism.”
LARCOTTIER, _m._ (old cant), _one who yields too often to the promptings of a well-developed bump of amativeness_, a “beard-splitter.”
LARD, _m._ (popular), _disreputable woman_; _mistress_; _skin, or body_. Sauver son ----, _to save one’s_ “bacon.” Perdre son ----, _to become thin_. Faire son ----, _to put on a conceited look_. (General) Faire du ----, _to lie in bed of a morning_. (Thieves’) Manger du ----, _to inform against_, “to turn snitch.”
LARDA (Breton cant), _to beat_.
LARDÉ, _m._ (popular), un ---- aux pommes, _mess of potatoes and bacon_.
Au prix où sont les lardés aux pommes aux trente-neuf marmites.--_Tam-Tam_ du 6 Juin, 1880.
LARDÉE, _f._ (printers’), _composition full of italics and roman_.
LARDER (obsolete), explained by quotation:--
Terme libre, qui signifie, faire le déduit, se divertir avec une femme.--=LE ROUX=, _Dict. Comique_.
(Popular and military) _to pierce with a sword or knife_. Se faire ----, _to be stabbed or to receive a sword-thrust_.
LARDIVES, _f. pl._ (prostitutes’), _female companions of prostitutes_.
Après tout, mes lardives ne valent pas mieux que moi et leurs megs valent le pante que j’ai lâché parcequ’il m’embêtait.--_Mémoires de Monsieur Claude._
LARDOIRE, _f._ (popular), _sword_, or “toasting fork.”
LARGE, _adj. and m._ (popular), il est ----, mais c’est des épaules _is said ironically of a close-fisted man_. N’en pas mener ----, _to be ill at ease_; _crest-fallen_. Envoyer quelqu’un au ----, _to send one to the deuce_.
LARGONJI, _m._ (thieves’), _cant_, _slang_. Properly the word jargon disguised by a process described under the heading LAMPAGNE (which see).
LARGUE, _f._ (popular and thieves’), _woman_, “hay-bag, cooler, shakester, or laced mutton.” Concerning the word Michel says: “Je crains bien qu’une pensée obscène n’ait présidé à la création de ce mot: ce qui me le fait soupçonner, c’est que je lis, p. 298 du livre d’Antoine Oudin, ‘Loger au large, d’une femme qui a grand ... or, large se prononçait largue à l’italienne et à l’espagnole dès le xivᵉ siècle.’”
Deux mots avaient suffi. Ces deux mots étaient: vos largues et votre aubert, vos femmes et votre argent, le résumé de toutes les affections vraies de l’homme.--=BALZAC.=
Largue, _mistress_, or “poll;” ---- d’altèque, _handsome woman_, or “dimbermort;” ---- en panne, _forsaken woman_, or a “moll that has been buried;” ---- en vidange, _female in childbed_, or “in the straw.” Balancer une ----, _to forsake a mistress_, “to bury a moll.” (Sailors’) Grand’ ----, _excellent_, “out and out.” C’est grand’ ---- et vrai marin, _it is_ “out and out,” _and quite sailor-like_.
LARGUEPÉ, _f._ (thieves’), _prostitute, or thief’s wife_, “mollisher.” See GADOUE. According to Michel this word is formed of largue, _woman_, and putain, _whore_.
LARME DU COMPOSITEUR, _f._ (printers’), _comma_.
LARNAC, ARNAC, or ARNACHE, _m._ (thieves’), _police officer_, “copper,” or “reeler.” Rousse à l’----, _detective_. For synonymous expressions see VACHE.
LARQUE, _f._ (roughs’), _woman_, or “cooler;” _registered prostitute_. A corruption of largue. See GADOUE.
LARRONS, _m. pl._ (printers’), _odd pieces of paper which adhere to sheets in the press, producing_ “moines” _or blanks_.
LARTIF, LARTIE, LARTON, _m._ (thieves’), _bread_, “pannum.” Termed also “briffe, broute, pierre dure, artie, arton, brignolet, bringue, boule de son, bricheton.”
LARTILLE À PLAFOND, _f._ (thieves’), PASTRY.
LARTIN, _m._ (old cant), _beggar_, “maunderer.”
LARTON, _m._ (thieves’), _bread_, “pannum;” ---- brutal, _black bread_; ---- savonné, _white bread_.
LARTONNIER, _m._ (thieves’), _baker_. From larton, _bread_. In the English popular lingo a “dough-puncher.”
LASCAILLER (thieves’), _to void urine_, “to pump ship.” For synonyms see LÂCHER.
LASCAR, _m._ (military), _bold, devil-may-care fellow_. Allons, mes lascars! _now, boys!_
Alors il se frottait les mains, faisait des blagues, ricanait: Eh! eh! mes lascars, il y a du bon pour le “chose,” ce soir!--=G. COURTELINE.=
The term is also used disparagingly with the signification of _bad soldiers_.
Là-dessus, en arrière, à droite, et à gauche ... marche! A vos écuries, tas de lascars.--=G. COURTELINE.=
(Thieves’) Lascar, _fellow_.
Tous les lascars à l’atelier pouvaient turbiner à leur gré. Moi, je n’avais pas plus tôt le dos tourné à mon ouvrage pour grignoter mon lartif (pain) ou pour chiquer mon Saint-père (tabac), que le louchon était sur mon dos pour m’écoper.--_Mémoires de Monsieur Claude._
LAS DE CHIER, _m._ (popular), grand ----, _big skulking fellow without any energy_.
LATEN (Breton slang), _tongue_.
LATENNI (Breton slang), _to chatter_.
LATIF, _m._ (thieves’), _white linen_, “lully,” or “snowy.”
LATIN, _m._ (thieves’), _lingo_, _cant_, “flash, thieves’ Latin.” The word meant formerly _language_.
LATINE, _f._ (students’), _student’s mistress_. From “Quartier Latin,” a part of Paris where students mostly dwell.
LATTE, _f._ (military), _cavalry sword_. Se ficher un coup de ----, _to fight a duel_.
LAUMIR (old cant), _to lose_, “to blew.”
LAUNE, _m._ (thieves’), _police officer_, or “copper.” For synonymous expressions see POT-À-TABAC.
LAURE, _f._ (thieves’), _brothel_, “nanny-shop, or academy.” Concerning the inmates of a clandestine establishment of that description in London, Mr. James Greenwood says:--
They belong utterly and entirely to the devil in human shape who owns the den that the wretched harlot learns to call her “home.” You would never dream of the deplorable depth of her destitution if you met her in her gay attire ... she is absolutely poorer than the meanest beggar that ever whined for a crust. These women are known as “dress lodgers.”--_The Seven Curses of London_.
LAVABE, _m._ (popular), _note of hand_; _theatre ticket at reduced price given to people who in return agree to applaud at a given signal_.
LAVAGE, _m._, or LESSIVE, _f._ (general), _sale of one’s property_; also _sale of property at considerable loss_.
Barbet n’avait pas prévu ce lavage; il croyait au talent de Lucien.--=BALZAC.=
LAVARÈS (thieves’), for laver, _to sell stolen property_. Nous irons à lavarès la camelote chez le fourgueur, _we will go and sell the property at the receiver’s_.
LAVASSE, _f._ (popular), _soup_; ---- sénatoriale, _rich soup_; ---- présidentielle, _very rich soup_.
LAVEMENT, _m._ (popular), au verre pilé, _glass of rank brandy_; (familiar and popular), _troublesome man or bore_; (military) _adjutant_.
LAVER (general), _to spend_; _to sell_.
Vous avez pour quarante francs de loges et de billets à vendre, et pour soixante francs de livres à laver au journal.--=BALZAC.=
(Thieves’) Laver la camelote, or les fourgueroles, _to sell stolen property_, “to do the swag;” ---- son linge, _to give oneself up after sentence has been passed in contumaciam_; ---- le linge dans la saignante, _to kill_.
Voici le pante que j’ai allumé devant le ferlampier (bandit) mis au poteau,--il faut laver son linge dans la saignante. Vite; à vos surins, les autres! Une fuis qu’il sera refroidi, qu’on le porte à la cave.--_Mémoires de Monsieur Claude_.
Se ---- les pieds, se ---- les pieds au dur, or au grand pré, _to be transported_, “to be lagged,” or “to light the lumper.” (Popular) Se ---- les yeux, _to drink a glass of white wine in the morning_. Se ---- le tuyau, _to drink_, “to wet one’s whistle.” Va te ----! _go to the deuce_, _go to_ “pot!” Mon linge est lavé! _I am beaten_, _I own I have the worst of it_. (General) Laver, _to sell_.
LAVETTE, _f._ (popular), _tongue_, or “red rag.”
LAVOIR, _m._ (cads’), _confessional_. A place where one’s conscience is made snow-white. (Familiar) Lavoir public, _newspaper_.
L’AVOIR ENCORE (popular). Elle l’a encore, _she has yet her maidenhead_, _her rose has not yet been plucked_.
LAZAGNE, or LAZAGEN, _f._ (thieves’), _letter_, “screeve, or stiff.”
On appelle lasagna, en Italien, une espèce de mets de pâte, et l’on dit proverbialement “come le lasagne,” comme les lasagnes, ni endroit ni envers, pour dire, on ne sait ce que c’est. On comprend que, ignorants comme ils le sont pour la plupart, les gueux aient appliqué cette expression aux lettres, qui, d’ailleurs, sont loin d’être toujours lisibles. Il y a aussi des livres appelés “di lasagne.”--=MICHEL.=
Balancer une ----, _to write a letter_.
LAZARO, _m._ (military), _prison_, “shop.”
Il lui avait ouvert la porte du cachot ... au fond il se moquait pas mal d’être flanqué au lazaro.--=G. COURTELINE.=
LAZO-LIGOT, _m._ (police), _strap with a noose_.
Et Col-de-zinc, à l’aspect si raide, avait l’agilité du Mexicain pour jeter le lazo-ligot, pour entourer d’un seul coup le corps et le poignet de son sujet de façon à ce que la main restât attachée à sa hanche.--_Mémoires de Monsieur Claude._
LAZZI-LOF, _m._ (thieves’), _venereal malady._ Termed “French gout,” or “ladies’ fever,” in the English slang.
LÈCHE-CURÉ, _m._ (popular), _bigot_, “prayer-monger.”
LÉCHÉE, _f._ (artists’), _picture minutely painted_.
LÉGITIME, _m. and f._ (familiar), _husband_, or “oboleklo;” _wife_, or “tart.” Manger sa ----, _to squander one’s fortune_.
LÉGUME, _m._ (military), gros ----, _field officer_, or “bloke.” An allusion to his epaulets, termed “graine d’épinards.”
LÉGUMISTE, _m._ (familiar), _vegetarian_.
LEM, parler en ----, _mode of disguising words_ by prefixing the letter “l,” and adding the syllabic “em” preceded by the first letter of the word; thus “boucher” becomes “loucherbem.” This mode was first used by butchers, and is now obsolete. See LAMPAGNE.
LENQUETRÉ, _m._ (thieves’), _thirty sous_. The word “trente” disguised.
LENTILLE, _f._ (thieves’), grosse ----, _moon_, “parish lantern.”
LÉON, _m._ (thieves’), _the president of the assize court_.
LERMON, _m._ (thieves’), _tin_.
LERMONNER (thieves’), _to tin_.
LESBIEN, _m._ (literary), formerly termed lesbin, explained by quotation:--
Lesbin, pour dire un jeune homme ou garçon qui sert de sucube à un autre et qui souffre qu’on commette la sodomie sur lui.--=LE ROUX=, _Dict. Comique_.
LESBIENNE, _f._ (common). Rigaud says: “Femme qui suit les errements de Sapho; celle qui cultive le genre de dépravation attribué à Sapho la Lesbienne.”
LESCAILLER. See LASCAILLER.
LÉSÉBOMBE, or LÉSÉE, _f._ (popular), _prostitute_, or “mot.” For synonymous expressions see GADOUE.
LESSIVAGE, _m._ (popular), _selling of property_; (thieves’) _pleading_.
LESSIVANT, _m._ (thieves’), _counsel_, or “mouthpiece.”
LESSIVE, _f._ (popular), de gascon, _doubtful cleanliness_. Faire la ----, _to turn one’s dirty shirt-collar or cuffs on the clean side_. (Literary) Faire sa ----, _to sell books sent to one by authors_. (Thieves’) Lessive, _speech for the defence_. The prisoner compares himself to dirty linen, to be washed snow-white by the counsel.
LESSIVER (thieves’), _is said of a barrister who pleads in behalf of a prisoner_. Se faire ----, _to be cleaned out at some game_, “to have blewed one’s tin,” or “to be a muck-snipe,” or in sporting slang a “muggins.”
LESSIVEUR, _m._ (thieves’), _counsel_, or “mouthpiece.” Literally _one who washes_.
LETERN (Breton cant), _eye_.
LETEZ (Breton cant), _countryman_.
LETEZEN (Breton cant), _pancake_.
LETTRE, _f._ (thieves’), de Jérusalem, _letter written by a prisoner to someone outside the prison, to request that some money may be sent him_; ---- de couronne (obsolete), _cup_.
LEVAGE, _m._ (popular), _swindle_; _successful gallantry_.
LEVÉ, _adj._ (general), had formerly the signification of _to be tracked by a bailiff who has found one’s whereabouts_.
LEVÉE, _f._ (popular), _wholesale arrest of prostitutes_.
LÈVE-PIEDS, _m._ (thieves’), _ladder_; _steps_, or “dancers.” Embarder sur le ----, _to go down the steps_, “to lop down the dancers.”
LEVER (printers’), la lettre, or les petits clous, _to compose_; (popular) ---- boutique, _to set up as a tradesman_.
Un Toulousain ... jeune perruquier dévoré d’ambition, vint à Paris, et y leva boutique (je me sers de votre argot).--=BALZAC.=
Lever des chopins, _to find some profitable stroke of business_; ---- la jambe, _to dance the cancan_; ---- le bras, _to be dissatisfied_; ---- le pied, _to abscond_; (familiar and popular) ---- une femme, _to find a woman willing to accord her favours_; ---- quelquechose, _to steal something_, “to wolf;” (military) ---- les baluchons, _to go away_; (prostitutes’) ---- un miché, _to find a client_, “to pick up a flat.”
LEVEUR, _m._ (popular), _pickpocket_, “buzcove.” See GRINCHE. Leveur de femmes, _a Don Giovanni in a small way_, or a “molrower.” (Printers’) Bon ----, _skilled typographer_.
Un bon leveur est un ouvrier qui compose bien et vite.--=BOUTMY.=
LEVEUSE, _f._ (familiar and popular), _a flash girl_.
LEVURE, _f._ (popular), _flight_. Faire la ----, _to run away_; “to skedaddle,” “to mizzle.”
LÉZARD, _m._ (popular), _an untrustworthy friend_; _dog stealer_.
Le lézard vole des chiens courants, des épagneuls et surtout des levrettes. Il ne livre jamais sa proie sans recevoir la somme déclarée.--_Almanach du Débiteur._
Faire son ----, _to doze in the daytime like a lizard basking in the sun_. (Thieves’) Faire le ----, to take to flight, “to make beef.” See PATATROT. Un ----, _a traitor_, a “snitcher.”
LÉZARDES, _f. pl._ (printers’), _white spaces_.
Raies blanches produites dans la composition par la rencontre fortuite d’espaces placées les unes au-dessous des autres.--=BOUTMY.=
LÉZINE, _f._ (thieves’), _cheating at a game_.
LÉZINER (thieves’), _to cheat_, “to bite;” _to hesitate_, “to funk.”
LIBRETAILLEUR, _m._ (familiar), _a libretto writer of poor ability_.
LICE, _f._ (popular), _lecherous girl_. Literally _bitch_.
LICHADE, _f._ (popular), _embrace_.
LICHANCE, _f._ (popular), _hearty meal_, “tightener.” From licher, equivalent to lécher, _to lick_.
LICHE, _f._ (popular), _excessive eating or drinking_. Etre en ----, _to be_ “on the booze.”
LICHER (familiar and popular), _to drink_, “to lush.” See RINCER.
Il a liché tout’ la bouteille, Rien n’est sacré pour un sapeur.
_Parisian Song._
LICHEUR, _m._ (familiar and popular), _gormandizer_. The term is very old.
LICHOTER UN RIGOLBOCHE (popular), _to make a hearty meal_, or “tightener.”
LIE DE FROMENT, _f._ (popular), _excrement_, or “quaker.”
LIÈGE, _m._ (thieves’), _gendarme_.
LIERCHEM (cads’), _to ease oneself_. An obscene word disguised. See LEM.
LIGNANTE, _f._ (thieves’), _life_.
Ce mot ... vient de la ligne, dite de vie, que les bohémiens consultaient sur la main de ceux auxquels ils disaient la bonne aventure.--=MICHEL.=
LIGNARD, _m._ (familiar and popular), _foot-soldier of the line_; _journalist_; (printers’) _compositor who has to deal only with the body part of a composition_; (artists’) _artist who devotes his attention more to the perfection of the outline than to that of colour_; (popular) _rodfisher_.
LIGNE, _f._ (artists’), avoir la ----, _to have a fine profile_. (Literary) Pêcher à la ----, or tirer à la ----, _is said of a journalist who seeks to make an article as lengthy as possible_. (Popular) Pêcher à la ---- d’argent _is said of an angler who catches fish by means of a money bait, at the fishmonger’s_. (Printers’) Ligne à voleur, _line containing only a syllable, or a very short word, which might have been composed into the preceding line_.
Les lignes à voleur sont faciles à reconnaître, et elles n’échappent guère à l’œil d’un correcteur exercé, qui les casse d’ordinaire impitoyablement.--=BOUTMY.=
LIGORE, _f._ (thieves’), _assize court_.
LIGORNIAU, _m._ (popular), _hodman_.
LIGOT. See LIGOTANTE.
LIGOTAGE, _m._ (police), _binding a prisoner’s hands by means of a rope or strap_.
LIGOTANTE, or LIGOTTE, _f._ (thieves’), _rope, or strap_; _bonds_; ---- de rifle, or riflarde, _strait waistcoat_.
LIGOTER (police and thieves’), _to bind a prisoner’s hands by means of ropes or straps_.
Nul mieux que lui ne savait prendre un malfaiteur sans l’abîmer, ni lui mettre les poucettes sans douleur ou le ligoter sans effort.--_Mémoires de Monsieur Claude._
LIGOTTE, _f._ (thieves’), _rope_; _string_; _strap_.
LILLANGE (thieves’), _town of Lille_.
LILLOIS, _m._ (thieves’), _thread_.
LIMACE, _f._ (popular), _low prostitute_, or “draggle-tail;” _soldier’s wench_, or “barrack-hack,” see GADOUE; (thieves’) _shirt_, “flesh-bag, or commission.” From the Romany “lima,” according to Michel.
LIMACIER, _m._, LIMACIÈRE, _f._, (thieves’), _shirt-maker_. From limace, _a shirt_.
LIMANDE, _f._ (popular), _man made of poor stuff_; _one who fawns_. From limande, _a kind of sole_ (fish).
LIME, _f._ (thieves’), for limace, _shirt_, or “commission” in old English cant; ---- sourde, _sly, underhand man_. The expression is old, and is used by Rabelais:--
Mais, qui pis est, les oultragearent grandement, les appellants trop-diteux, breschedents, plaidants rousseaulx, galliers, chie-en-licts, averlans, limes sourdes.--_Gargantua._
LIMER (familiar and popular), _to talk with difficulty_; _to do a thing slowly_. Literally _to file_.
LIMOGÈRE, _f._ (thieves’), _chambermaid_.
LIMONADE, _f._ (popular), _water_, or “Adam’s ale;” _the trade of a_ “limonadier,” _or proprietor of a small café_. Tomber, or se plaquer dans la ----, _to fall into the water_; _to be ruined_, or “gone a mucker.” (Thieves’) Limonade, _flannel vest_; ---- de linspré, _champagne_. “Linspré” is the word “prince” disguised.
LIMONADIER DE POSTÉRIEURS, _m._ (popular), _apothecary_. Formerly apothecaries performed the “clysterium donare” of Molière’s _Malade Imaginaire_.