Part 9

AVOIR (popular), à la bonne, _to like, to love_, “to be sweet upon;” ---- campo, _to have leave to go out_; ---- celui, for avoir l’honneur de; ---- dans le nez, _to have a strong dislike for a person or thing_; (familiar) ---- dans le ventre, ce que quelqu’un a dans le ventre, _what stuff one is made of_; (popular) ---- de ce qui sonne, _to be well off_; in other words, _to have plenty of beans, ballast, rhino, the needful, blunt, bustle, dust, coal, oof, stumpy, brass, tin_; ---- de la chance au bâtonnet, _to be unlucky_. Le jeu de bâtonnet is the game of nap the cat; ---- de la glu aux mains, _to steal_, “to nibble;” ---- de la ligne, _to have a nice figure_; ---- de l’anis dans une écope: tu auras ----, _don’t you wish you may get it_; ---- de l’as de Carreau dans le dos, _to be humpbacked_; ---- des as dans son jeu, _to have an advantage, to be lucky, to have_ “cocum;” ---- des mots avec quelqu’un, _to fall out with one, to have a tiff with one_; ---- des mots avec la justice, _to be prosecuted_; ---- des mots avec les sergots, _to have some disagreement with the police_; ---- des œufs sur le plat, _to have black eyes_, “to have one’s eyes in mourning;” ---- des petits pois à écosser ensemble, _to have a bone to pick with one_; ---- des planches, _to be an experienced actor_; ---- du beurre sur la tête, _to have some misdeed on one’s conscience_; ---- du chien, _to possess dash_, “go;” ---- du chien dans le ventre, _to have pluck, endurance_, or “stay;” ---- du pain sur la planche, _to have a competency_; ---- du poil au cul, _to possess courage_, or “hackle,” _energy_; ---- du plomb dans l’aile, _to be wounded_; ---- du sable dans les yeux, _to feel sleepy_; ---- du toupet, _to have audacity, cool impudence_; ---- fumé dans une pipe neuve, _to be tipsy_, or “obfuscated;” ---- la flemme, _to be afraid_; _to feel lazy_, or “Mondayish;” ---- l’arche, _to have credit_, or “jawbone;” ---- l’assiette au beurre, _to be fortunate in life_; ---- la cuisse gaie _is said of a female of lax morals_; ---- le pot de chambre dans la commode, _to have an offensive breath_; ---- le caillou déplumé, le coco déplumé, _to be bald_, _to have_ “a bladder of lard;” ---- le casque, _to fancy a man_; ---- le compas dans l’œil, _to possess a sharp eye_, with respect to judging of distance or quantity; ---- le front dans le cou, _to be bald_, or “stag-faced;” ---- le nez creux, _to be clever at foreseeing, guessing_; ---- le pouce long, _to be skilful, to be_ a “dab” _at something_; ---- le trac, _to be afraid_, “funky;” ---- les calots pochés, _to have black eyes_; ---- les côtes en long, _to be lazy_, a “bummer;” ---- l’estomac dans les talons, dans les mollets, _to be ravenous_, _very_ “peckish;” ---- l’étrenne, _to be the first to do, or be done to, to have the_ “wipe of;” ---- le sac, _to be wealthy_, or “well ballasted;” ---- mal au bréchet, _to have the stomach-ache_, or “botts;” ---- mal aux cheveux, _to have a headache caused from overnight potations_; ---- mangé de l’oseille, _to be sour-tempered, peevish_, or “crusty;” ---- sa côtelette, in theatrical language, _to obtain great applause_; (popular) ---- sa pointe, _to be slightly tipsy_, “fresh;” ---- son caillou, _to be on the verge of intoxication_, or “muddled;” ---- son coke, _to die_; ---- son cran, _to be angry_, “to have one’s monkey up;” ---- son pain cuit. Properly _to have an income, to be provided for_. The expression is old.

Vente, gresle, gelle, j’ai mon pain cuit.

=VILLON.=

(Also) _to be sentenced to death_; ---- son sac de quelqu’un, _to be tired of one_; ---- un coup de marteau, _to be cracked_, “queer;” ---- un fédéré dans la casemate, or un polichinelle dans le tiroir, _to be pregnant_, or “lumpy;” ---- un poil dans la main, _to feel lazy_; ---- un pot de chambre sous le nez, _to have an offensive breath_; ---- un rat dans la trompe, _to feel irritated_, _provoked_, _exasperated_, “badgered;” ---- une chambre à louer, _to be eccentric, even to insanity_; “to have apartments to let;” _to be minus one tooth_; ---- une crampe au pylore, _to be blessed with a good appetite_, or “twist;” ---- une table d’hôte dans l’estomac, _to have an extraordinary appetite_; ---- vu le loup _is said of a girl who has been seduced_. En ---- la farce, _to be able to procure a thing_. Pour deux sous on en a la farce, _a penny will get it for you_. En ---- sa claque, _to have eaten or drunk to excess_, _to have had a_ “tightener.” Avoir une belle presse _is said of an actor or author who is lauded by the press_.

AVOIR (popular and familiar), la boule détraquée; le coco fêlé; le trognon détraqué; un asticot dans la noisette; un bœuf gras dans le char; un cancrelat dans la boule; un hanneton dans le réservoir; un hanneton dans le plafond; un moustique dans la boîte au sel; un voyageur dans l’omnibus; une araignée dans le plafond; une écrevisse dans la tourte; une écrevisse dans le vol-au-vent; une grenouille dans l’aquarium; une hirondelle dans le soliveau; une Marseillaise dans le kiosque; une punaise dans le soufflet; une sardine dans l’armoire à glace; une trichine dans le jambonneau; une sauterelle dans la guitare--Parisian expressions which may be rendered by _to be mad, or cracked_, _crazy_, _touched_, _to have rats in the upper story_, _a bee in one’s bonnet_, _a tile loose_, _to have apartments to let_, _to be wrong in the upper storey_, _to be off one’s chump, &c., &c._ L’---- encore, Rigaud says, “Avoir ce qu’une jeune fille doit perdre seulement le jour de son mariage.”

AVOIR, N’----, pas de toupet, _to show cool impudence_; (popular) ---- pas inventé le fil à couper le beurre _is said of a man of poor ability, not likely_ “to set the Thames on fire;” ---- pas le cul dans une jupe, _to be manly_, or “spry;” ---- pas sa langue dans sa poche, _to have a ready tongue_; ---- rien du côté gauche, or sous le têton gauche, _to be heartless_; ---- rien dans le ventre, _to be devoid of ability_, _to be made of poor stuff_; ---- plus sa grille d’égoût, ---- plus sa pièce de dix ronds _is said of Sodomites_; ---- plus de chapelure sur le jambonneau, ---- plus de crin sur la brosse, ---- plus de fil sur la bobine, ---- plus de gazon sur le pré, ---- plus de mousse sur le caillou, or sur la plate-bande, ---- plus de paillasson à la porte, _to be bald_, or “to have a bladder of lard,” “to be stag-faced,” &c.; (thieves’) ---- pas la trouille, le flubart, or le trac, _to have no fear_.

AZOR, _m._ (popular), _dog_; (military) _knapsack_, or “scran-bag” (an allusion to the hairy covering of soldiers’ knapsacks). Etre à cheval sur ----, _to shoulder the knapsack_. Tenir ---- en laisse _is said of a discharged soldier who on leaving the barracks, with a view to showing that “Azor” is no longer his master, drags him ignominiously along the ground attached to a strap_. (Theatrical) Appeler, or siffler ----, _to hiss_, or “to goose.”

Qu’est-ce que c’est? Est-ce qu’on appelle Azor?--_Musée Philipon._

B

BABA, _adj._ (popular), _dumb-founded_, _abashed_, “blue,” or “flabbergasted.” From ébahi, _astounded_.

BABILLARD, _m._ (thieves’), _confessor_; _book_; _newspaper_. Griffonneur de ----, _journalist_. It also means _a petition_.

Ma largue part pour Versailles, Aux pieds d’sa Majesté, Elle lui fonce un babillard Pour m’faire défourailler.

=V. HUGO=, _Dernier Jour d’un Condamné_.

BABILLARDE, _f._ (thieves’), _watch_, or “jerry;” _letter_, “screeve,” or “stiff.”

BABILLAUDIER, _m._ (thieves’), _bookseller_.

BABILLE, _f._ See BABILLARDE.

BABILLER (thieves’), _to read_. Properly _to prattle_, _to chatter_.

BABINES, _f. pl._ (popular), _mouth_, “muzzle.” S’en donner par les ----, _to eat voraciously_, “to scorf.” S’en lécher les ----, _to enjoy in imagination any kind of pleasure, past or in store_.

BABOUINE, _f._ (popular), _mouth_, “rattle-trap,” “kisser,” “dubber,” or “maw.” See PLOMB.

BABOUINER (popular), _to eat_.

BAC, for baccarat or baccalauréat.

Ce serait bien le diable s’il parvenait à organiser de petits bacs à la raffinerie.--=VAST-RICOUARD=, _Le Tripot_.

BACCHANTES (thieves’), _the beard_; but more especially _the whiskers_. From a play on the word bâche, _an awning_, _covering_.

BACCON, _m._ (thieves’), _pig_, or “sow’s baby;” _pork_, or “sawney.”

BACHASSE, _f._ (thieves’), _hard labour_; _convict settlement_.

BÂCHE, _f._ (thieves’ and cads’), _cap_, or “tile;” _stakes_; _bed_, or “doss.” Se mettre dans la ----, _to go to bed_. Bâche, properly _a cart tilt_ or _an awning_.

BACHELIÈRE, _f._, _female associate of students at the Quartier Latin, the headquarters of the University of France_. Herein are situated the Sorbonne, Collège de France, Ecole de Médecine, Ecole de Droit, &c.

BÂCHER, PAGNOTTER, or PERCHER (thieves’ and popular). Se ----, _to go to bed_.

BACHOT, _m._ (students’), _baccalauréat_, _or examination for the degree of bachelor of arts or science conferred by the University of France_. Etre ----, _to be a bachelor_. Faire son ----, _to read for that examination_.

BACHOTIER, _m._ (students’), _tutor who prepares candidates for the baccalauréat_, a “coach,” or a “crammer.”

BACHOTTER (sharpers’), _to swindle at billiards_.

BACHOTTEUR, _m._ (sharpers’), _a confederate of blacklegs at a four game of billiards_. The “bachotteur” arranges the game, holds the stakes, &c., pretending meanwhile to be much interested in the victim, or “pigeon.” His associates are “l’emporteur,” or “buttoner,” whose functions consist in entering into conversation with the intended victim and enticing him into playing, and “la bête,” who feigns to be a loser at the outset, so as to encourage the pigeon.

BÂCLER, BOUCLER (thieves’), _to shut_, _to arrest_. Bâclez la lourde! _shut the door!_ “dub the jigger.” (Popular) Bâcler, _to put_, _to place_. Bâclez-vous là! _place yourself there!_

BACREUSE, _f._ (popular), _pocket_. From creuse, _deep_.

BADAUDIÈRE, _f._, _the tribe of badauds_, _people whose interest is awakened by the most trifling events or things, and who stop to gape wonderingly at such events or things_.

Parmi tous les badauds de la grande badaudière parisienne, qui est le pays du monde où l’on en trouve le plus, parmi tous les flâneurs, gâcheurs de temps ... bayeurs aux grues.--=RICHEPIN=, _Le Pavé_.

BADIGEON, _m._ (popular), _painting of the face_; _paint for the face_, “slap.” Se coller du ----, _to paint one’s face_, “to stick on slap.”

BADIGEONNER, la femme au puits, _to lie_, “to cram.” An allusion to Truth supposed to dwell in a well. Se ----, _to paint one’s face_.

BADIGOINCES, _f._ _pl._ (popular), _lips_, _mouth_, “maw.” Jouer des ----, or se caler les ----, _to eat_, “to grub.” S’en coller par les ----, _to have a good fill_, “to stodge.” See MASTIQUER.

BADINGUISTE, BADINGÂTEUX, BADINGOUIN, BADINGUEUSARD, BADINGOUINARD, _terms of contempt applied to Bonapartists_. “Badinguet,” nickname of Napoleon III., was the name of a mason who lent him his clothes, and whose character he assumed to effect his escape from Fort Ham, in which he was confined for conspiracy and rebellion against the government of King Louis Philippe.

BADOUILLARD, _m._, BADOUILLARDE, _f._ (popular), _male and female habitués of low fancy balls_.

BADOUILLE, _f._ (popular), _henpecked husband_, or “stangey;” _fool_, or “duffer.”

BADOUILLER (popular), _to frequent low public balls_; _to wander about without a settled purpose_, “to scamander;” _to have drinking revels_, “to go on the booze.”

BADOUILLERIE, _f._ (popular), _dissipated mode of living_.

BAFFRE, _f._ (popular), _a blow in the face with the fist_, a “bang in the mug.”

BAFOUILLER, (popular), _to jabber_; _to splutter_; _to sputter_.

BAFOUILLEUR, BAFOUILLEUX, _m._, BAFOUILLEUSE, _f._, _one who sputters_.

BAGNIOLE, _f._ (popular), _carriage_, “trap,” or “cask.”

BAGNOLE, _f._ (popular), diminutive of bagne, _convict settlement, hulks: wretched room or house_, or “crib;” _costermonger’s hand-barrow_, “trolly,” or “shallow.”

La maigre, salade ... que les bonnes femmes poussent devant elles dans leur bagnole à bras.--=RICHEPIN=, _Le Pavé_.

BAGOU, BAGOÛT, _m._ (familiar), (has passed into the language), _facility of speech_ (used disparagingly). Quel ---- mes amis! _well, he is the one to talk!_ Avoir un fier ----, _to have plenty of jaw_.

On se laissa bientôt aller à la joie ravivée sans cesse au bagout du vieux, qui n’avait jamais été aussi bavard.--=RICHEPIN=, _La Glu_.

(Thieves’) Bagou, _name_, “monniker,” “monarch.”

BAGOULARD, _m._ (popular), _a very talkative man_, a “clack-box,” or “mouth-all-mighty.” C’est un fameux ----, “He’s the bloke to slam.”

BAGOULER (popular and thieves’), _to prattle_, to do the “Poll Parrot;” _to give one’s name_, or “dub one’s monniker.”

BAGUE, _f._ (thieves’), _name_, “monniker,” “monarch.”

BAGUENAUDE (thieves’ and cads’), _pocket_, “cly,” “sky-rocket,” or “brigh;” ---- à sec, _empty pocket_; ---- ronflante, _pocket full of money_. Faire la retourne des baguenaudes, _to rob drunkards who go to sleep on benches_.

... Une bande de filous, vauriens ayant travaillé les baguenaudes dans la foule.--=RICHEPIN=, _Le Pavé_.

BAGUENOTS, _m. pl._ (popular), faire les ----, _to pick pockets_, “to fake a cly.”

BAGUETTES, _f. pl._ Properly rods, _or drum-sticks_. (Military) Avaler ses ----, _to die_. (Familiar) Baguettes de tambour, _thin legs_, _spindle-shanks_; _lank hair_.

BAHUT, _m._ (popular), _furniture_, “marbles.” Properly _large dresser, or press_; (cadets’) ---- spécial, _the military school of Saint-Cyr_; (students’) ---- paternel, _paternal house_. Bahut, _a crammer’s establishment_; _college, or boarding-school_.

Eux, les pauvres petits galériens, ils continuent à vivre entre les murs lépreux du bahut.--=RICHEPIN=, _Le Pavé_.

BAHUTÉ (Saint-Cyr cadets’), ceci est ----, _that is smart, soldier-like_. Une tenue bahutée, _smart dress or appearance_.

BAHUTER (Saint-Cyr cadets’), _to create a disturbance_, “to kick up a row;” (schoolboys’) _to go from one educational establishment to another_.

BAHUTEUR, _m._, _one fond of a_ “row;” _unruly scholar_; _pupil who patronizes, willingly or not, different educational establishments_.

BAIGNE-DANS-LE-BEURRE (popular), _womens’ bully_, or “pensioner.” An allusion to “maquereau,” or mackerel, a common appellation for such creatures. See POISSON.

BAIGNEUSE, _f._ (thieves’ and cads’), _head_, or “block,” “canister,” “nut.” See TRONCHE.

BAIGNOIRE À BON DIEU, _f._ (cads’), _chalice_.

BAILLER AU TABLEAU (theatrical), _to have an insignificant part in a new play_.

Terme de coulisses qui s’applique à un acteur, qui voit au tableau la mise en répétition d’une pièce dans laquelle il n’a qu’un bout de rôle.--=A. BOUCHARD=, _La Langue théâtrale_.

BAIMBAIN (Breton cant), _potatoes_.

BAIN DE PIED (familiar), _the overflow into the saucer from a cup of coffee or glass of brandy_; _third help of brandy after coffee_, _those preceding being_ “la rincette” _and_ “la surrincette.”

BAIN-MARIE, _m._ (popular), _a person with a mild, namby-pamby disposition allied to a weakly constitution_, _a_ “sappy” _fellow_.

BAIN QUI CHAUFFE, _m._ (popular), _a rain cloud in hot weather_.

BAISER (popular), la camarde, _to die_, “to kick the bucket,” “to snuff it;” (gamesters’) ---- le cul de la vieille, _not to score_, _to remain at_ “love.”

BAISSIER, _m._, _man on ’Change who speculates for a fall in the funds_, “bear.” See HAUSSIER.

BAITE, _f._ (thieves’), _house_, “crib.”

BAJAF, _m._ (popular), _a stout, plethoric man_. Gros ----, “forty guts.”

BAJOTER (popular), _to chatter_, “to gabble.”

BAL, _m._ (military), _extra drill_ (called a “hoxter” at the Royal Military Academy).

BALADAGE, BALLADAGE, _m._ (popular), chanteur au ----, _street singer_, “street pitcher.”

BALADE, BALLADE, _f._ (popular and familiar), _walk_, _stroll_, _lounge_, “miking.” Canot de ----, _pleasure boat_. Faire une ----, se payer une ----, _to take a walk_. Chanteur à la ----, _itinerant singer_, “chaunter.” (Thieves’) Balade, or ballade, _pocket_; also called “fouillouse, profonde, valade,” and by English rogues, “sky-rocket, cly, or brigh.”

BALADER (thieves’), _to choose_; _to seek_. (Popular) Se ----, _to take a walk_; _to stroll_; “to mike;” _to make off_; _to run away_, “to cut one’s lucky.” See PATATROT.

BALADEUR, _m._ (popular), _one who takes a walk_.

BALADEUSE, _f._ (popular), _woman with no heart for work and who is fond of idly strolling about_.

BALAI, _m._ (hawkers’), _police officer, or gendarme_, “crusher;” (military) ---- à plumes, _plumes of shako_. (Popular) Balai, _the last ’bus or tramcar at night_. Donner du ---- à quelqu’un, _to drive one away_.

BALANCEMENT, _m._ (clerks’), _dismissal_, “the sack.”

BALANCER (popular), _to throw at a distance_; ---- quelqu’un, _to dismiss from one’s employment_, “to give the sack;” _to get rid of one_; _to make fun of one_; _to hoax_, “to bamboozle;” (thieves’) ---- la rouscaillante, _to speak_, or “to rap;” ---- sa canne _is said of a vagrant who takes to thieving, of a convict who makes his escape, or of a ticket-of-leave man who breaks bounds_; ---- sa largue, _to get rid of one’s mistress_, “to bury a Moll;” ---- ses alènes, _to turn honest_; _to forsake the burglar’s implements for the murderer’s knife_; ---- ses chasses, _to gaze about_, “to stag;” ---- son chiffon rouge, _to talk_, “to wag one’s red rag;” ---- une lazagne, _to send a letter_, “screeve,” or “stiff.”

BALANCEUR, _m._ (thieves’), de braise, _money changer_. An allusion to the practice of weighing money.

BALANCIER, _m._ (popular), faire le ----, _to wait for one_.

BALANÇOIR, BALANÇON, _m._ (thieves’), _window-bar_.

BALANÇOIRE, _f._ (familiar), _fib_, “flam;” _nonsense_; _stupid joke_. Envoyer à la ----, _to get rid of one, to invite one to make himself scarce, or to send one to the deuce_.

BALANÇON, _m._ (thieves’), _iron hammer_; _window-bar_.

BALANDRIN, _m._ (popular), _parcel made up in canvas_; _a small pedlar’s pack_.

BALAUDER (tramps’), _to beg_, “to cadge.”

BALAYAGE, _m._ Properly _sweeping_; used figuratively _wholesale getting rid of_. On devrait faire un balayage dans cette administration, _there ought to be a wholesale dismissal of officials_.

BALAYER (theatrical), les planches, _to be the first to sing at a concert_.

BALAYEZ-MOI-ÇA, _m._ (popular), _woman’s dress_. Literally _you just sweep that away_.

BALCON, _m._ (popular), il y a du monde, or il y a quelqu’un au ----, _an allusion to well-developed breasts_.

BALCONNIER, _m._, _orator who makes a practice of addressing the crowd from a balcony_.

BALEINE, _f._ (popular), _disreputable woman_, “bed-fagot.” Rire comme une ----, _to laugh in a silly manner with mouth wide open like a whale’s_.

BALIVERNEUR, _m._ (popular), _monger of_ “twaddle,” _of tomfooleries_, _of_ “blarney.”

BALLADE, _f._ (popular), aller faire une ---- à la lune, _to ease oneself_.

BALLE, _f._ (thieves’), _secret_; _affair_; _opportunity_. Ça fait ma ----, _that just suits me_. Manquer sa ----, _to miss one’s opportunity_. Faire ----, _to be fasting_. Faire la ----, _to act according to instructions_. (Popular) Balle, _one-franc piece_; _face_, “mug;” _head_, “block.” Il a une bonne ----, _he has a good-natured looking face, or a grotesque face_. Rond comme ----, _is said of one who has eaten or drunk to excess_; _of one who is drunk, or_ “tight.” Un blafard de cinq balles, _a five-franc piece_. (Familiar) Enfant de la ----, _actor’s child_; _actor_; _one who is of the same profession as his father_. (Prostitutes’) Balle d’amour, _handsome face_. Rude ----, _energetic countenance, with harsh features_. Balle de coton, _a blow with the fist_, a “bang,” “wipe,” “one on the mug,” or a “cant in the gills.”

BALLOMANIE, _f._, _mania for ballooning_.

BALLON, _m._ (popular), _glass of beer_; _the behind_, or “tochas.” Enlever le ---- à quelqu’un, _to kick one in the hinder part of the body_, “to toe one’s bum,” “to root,” or “to land a kick.” En ----, _in prison_, “in quod.” Se donner du ----, _to make a dress bulge out_. Se lâcher du ----, _to make off rapidly_, “to brush.”

BALLONNÉ, _adj._ (thieves’), _imprisoned_, “in limbo.”

BALLOT, _m._ (tailors’), _stoppage of work_.

BALLOTER (tailors’), _to be out of work_, “out of collar;” (thieves’) _to throw_.

BAL-MUSETTE, _m._, _dancing place for workpeople in the suburbs_.

Les bals-musette au plancher de bois qui sonne comme un tympanon sous les talons tambourinant la bourrée montagnarde ... que la musette remplit de son chant agreste.--=RICHEPIN=, _Le Pavé_.

BALOCHARD, BALOCHEUR, _m._ (popular), _one who idles about town carelessly and merrily_.

Aussi j’laisse l’chic et les chars, Aux feignants et aux galupiers, Et j’suis l’roi des Balochards, Des Balochards qui va-t-à pieds.

=RICHPIN=, _Gueux de Paris_.

BALOCHER, (popular), _to be an habitué of dancing halls_; _to bestir oneself_; _to fish in troubled waters_; _to have on hand any unlawful business_; _to move things_; _to hang them up_; _to idle about carelessly and merrily_, or “to mike.”

BALOTS, _m. pl._ (thieves’), _lips_. Se graisser les ----, _to eat_, “to grub.”

BALOUF (popular), _very strong_, “spry.”

BALTHAZAR, _m._ (familiar), _a plentiful meal_, “a tightener.”

BALUCHON, _m._ (popular), _parcel_, or “peter.”

BAMBINO, BAMBOCHINO, _m._ (popular), _term of endearment for a child_.

BAMBOCHE, _adj._ (popular), être ----, _to be tipsy_, or “to be screwed.”

BANBAN, _m._ and _f._ (popular), _lame person_, “dot and go one;” _small stunted person_, “Jack Sprat.”

BANC, _m._ (convicts’), _camp bed_; (Parisians’) ---- de Terre-Neuve, _that part of the Boulevard between the Madeleine and Porte Saint-Denis_. Probably an allusion to the ladies of fishy character, termed “morues,” or _codfish_, who cruise about that part of Paris, and a play on the word Terre-Neuve, _Newfoundland_, where the real article is fished in large quantities. (Military) Pied de ----, _sergeant_. See PIED.

BANCAL, _m._ (soldiers’), _cavalry sword_.

Et, je me sens fier, ingambe, D’un plumet sur mon colbac, D’un bancal, et du flic-flac De ce machin sur ma jambe.

=A. DE CHATILLON.=

BANDE, _Properly cushion of billiard table_. Coller sous ----, _to get one in a fix_, _in a_ “hole.”

BANDE D’AIR, _f._ (theatrical), _frieze painted blue so as to represent the sky_.

BANDE NOIRE, _f._, _a gang of swindlers who procure goods on false pretences and sell them below their value_, “long firm.”

La Bande Noire comprises four categories of swindlers working jointly: “le courtier à la mode,” who, by means of false references, gets himself appointed as agent to important firms, generally wine merchants, jewellers, provision dealers. He calls on some small tradesmen on the verge of bankruptcy, denominated “petits faisans,” or “frères de la côte,” and offers them at a very low price merchandise which they are to dispose of, allowing him a share in the profits. The next step to be taken is to bribe a clerk of some private information office, who is thus induced to give a favourable answer to all inquiries regarding the solvency of the “petit faisan.” The courtier à la mode also bribes with a like object the doorkeeper of his clients. At length the goods are delivered by the victimized firms; now steps in the “fusilleur” or “gros faisan,” who obtains the merchandise at a price much below value--a cask of wine worth 170 francs, for instance, being transferred to him at less than half that sum--the sale often taking place at the railway goods station, especially when the “petit faisan” is an imaginary individual represented by a doorkeeper in confederacy with the gang.--_Translated from the “République Française” newspaper, February, 1886._

BANDER (popular), la caisse, _to abscond with the cash-box_. Properly _to tighten the drum_; ---- l’ergot, _to run away_, “to crush.”

BANNETTE (popular), _apron_.

BANNIÈRE, _f._ (familiar), être en ----, _to be in one’s shirt_, _in one’s_ “flesh bag.”