Part 12

~Case~, a bad crown-piece. HALF-A-CASE, a counterfeit half-crown. There are two sources, either of which may have contributed this slang term. CASER is the Hebrew word for a crown; and silver coin is frequently counterfeited by coating or CASING pewter or iron imitations with silver. Possibly from its being “a CASE” with the unfortunate owner.

~Cask~, fashionable slang for a brougham, or other private carriage. Not very general. “PILLBOX” is the more usual term.

~Cassam~, cheese—not CAFFAN, which Egan, in his edition of _Grose_, has ridiculously inserted.—_Ancient Cant._ _Latin_, CASEUS. _Gael._ and _Irish_, CAISE.

~Cast~, to assist by lightening labour. Men in small boats who want to be towed behind steamers or sailing vessels, say “Give us a CAST.” Also used by waggoners and others, who sometimes vary the performance by asking, when stuck on a hill, for a pound, possibly a pound of flesh, horse or human.

~Cast up Accounts~, to vomit.—_Old._

~Castor~, a hat. Mostly used in pugilistic circles. Indeed many hangers-on of the P.R. have considered that the term arose from the custom of casting the hat into the ring, before entering oneself. CASTOR was the _Latin_ name for the animal now known as the BEAVER; and, strange to add, BEAVER was the slang for CASTOR, or hat, many years ago, before gossamer came into fashion.

~Cat~, a lady’s muff; “to free a CAT,” _i.e._, steal a muff.

~Cat~, to vomit like a cat. Perhaps from CATARACT; but _see_ SHOOT THE CAT.

~Cat~—CAT O’ NINE TAILS, a whip with that number of lashes used to punish refractory sailors.—_Sea._ The “cat” is now a recognised term for the punishmental whip.

~Catamaran~, a disagreeable old woman.—_Thackeray._

~Cat and Kitten Sneaking~, stealing pint and quart pots and small pewter spirit measures from public-houses.

~Cataract~, once a black satin scarf arranged for the display of jewellery, much in vogue among “commercial gents.” Now quite out of date.

~Catchbet~, a bet made for the purpose of entrapping the unwary by means of a paltry subterfuge. _See_ CHERRY COLOUR.

~Catch-’em-Alive~, a humane trap; also a small-tooth comb. A piece of paper smeared with a sweet sticky substance which is spread about where flies most abound, and in this sense not particularly humane. The CATCH-’EM-ALIVE trap for rats and other such animals is humane compared with the gin trap.

~Catch-penny~, any temporary contrivance to obtain money from the public; penny shows, or cheap exhibitions. Also descriptions of murders which have never taken place.

~Catchy~ (similar formation to _touchy_), inclined to take an undue advantage.

~Caterwauling~, applied derisively to inharmonious singing; also love-making, from the noise of cats similarly engaged.

~Catever~, a queer, or singular affair; anything poor, or very bad. From the _Lingua Franca_, and _Italian_, CATTIVO, bad. Variously spelled by the lower orders.—_See_ KERTEVER.

~Cat-faced~, a vulgar and very common expression of contempt in the North of England.

~Catgut-Scraper~, a fiddler.

~Cat-in-the-Pan~, a traitor, a turncoat—derived by some from the _Greek_, καταπαν, altogether; or—and more likely—from _cake in pan_, a pan-cake, which is frequently turned from side to side.

~Cat-lap~, a contemptuous expression for weak drink. Anything a cat will drink is very innocuous.

~Cats and Dogs.~ It is said to rain cats and dogs when a shower is exceptionally heavy. Probably in ridicule of the remarkable showers which used to find their way into the papers during the “silly season.”

~Cat’s-meat~, a coarse term for the lungs—the “lights” or lungs of animals being usually sold to feed cats.

~Cat’s-paw~, a dupe or tool. From the old story of the monkey who used the cat’s-paw to remove his roast chestnuts from the fire. A sea term, meaning light and occasional breezes occurring in calm weather.

~Cat’s-water~, “old Tom,” or gin.

~Cattle~, a term of contempt applied to the mob, or to a lot of lazy, helpless servants.

~Caucus~, a private meeting held for the purpose of concerting measures, agreeing upon candidates for office before an election, &c. This is an American term, and a corruption of CAULKER’S MEETING, being derived from an association of the shipping interest at Boston, previous to the War of Independence, who were very active in getting up opposition to England.—_See Pickering’s Vocabulary._

~Caulk~, to take a surreptitious nap; sleep generally, from the ordinary meaning of the term; stopping leaks, repairing damages, so as to come out as good as new.—_Sea term._

~Caulker~, a dram. The term “caulker” is usually applied to a stiff glass of grog—preferably brandy—finishing the potations of the evening. _See_ WHITEWASH.

~Caulker~, a too marvellous story, a lie. CHOKER has the same sense.

~Caution~, anything out of the common way. “He’s a CAUTION,” is said of an obdurate or argumentative man. The phrase is also used in many ways in reference to places and things.

~Cavaulting~, a vulgar phrase equivalent to “horsing.” The _Italian_ CAVALLINO, signifies a rake or debauchee.—_Lingua Franca_, CAVOLTA. From this comes the Americanism “cavorting,” running or riding round in a heedless or purposeless manner.

~Cave~, or CAVE IN, to submit, shut up.—_American._ Metaphor taken from the sinking of an abandoned mining shaft.

~Chaff~, to gammon, joke, quiz, or praise ironically. Originally “to queer” represented our modern word “CHAFF.” CHAFF-bone, the jaw-bone.—_Yorkshire._ CHAFF, jesting. In _Anglo-Saxon_, CEAF is chaff; and CEAFL, bill, beak, or jaw. In the _Ancren Riwle_, A.D. 1221, CEAFLE is used in the sense of idle discourse.

~Chaffer~, the mouth; “moisten your CHAFFER,” _i.e._, take something to drink.

~Chal~, old Romany term for a man; CHIE was the name for a woman.

~Chalk out~, or CHALK DOWN, to mark out a line of conduct or action; to make a rule or order. Phrase derived from the _Workshop_.

~Chalk up~, to credit, make entry in account books of indebtedness; “I can’t pay you now, but you can CHALK IT UP,” _i.e._, charge me with the article in your day-book. From the old practice of chalking one’s score for drink behind the bar-doors of public-houses.

~Chalks~, “to walk one’s CHALKS,” to move off, or run away. An ordeal for drunkenness used on board ship, to see whether the suspected person can walk on a chalked line without overstepping it on either side.

~Chalks~, degrees, marks; so called from being made by a piece of chalk; “to beat by long CHALKS,” _i.e._, to be superior by many degrees. “Making CHALKS” is a term connected with the punishment of boys on board ship, and in the Naval School at Greenwich. Two chalk lines are drawn wide apart on the deck or floor, and the boy to be punished places a foot on each of these lines, and stoops, thereby presenting a convenient portion of his person to the boatswain or master.

~Chance the Ducks~, an expression signifying come what may. “I’ll do it, and CHANCE THE DUCKS.”

~Chancery~, a pugilistic phrase for difficulties; “to get a man’s head into CHANCERY,” _i.e._, to get an opponent’s head firmly under one’s arm, where it can be pommelled with immense power, and without any possibility of immediate extrication. From the helplessness of a suitor in Chancery. This opportunity was of very rare occurrence when the combatants were at all evenly matched.

~Change~, small money. The overplus returned after paying for a thing in a round sum. Hence a slang expression used when a person receives a “settler” in the shape of either a repartee or a blow—“Take your CHANGE out of that!”

~Chap~, a fellow, a boy; “a low CHAP,” a low fellow—abbreviation of CHAPMAN, a huckster. Used by _Byron_ in his _Critical Remarks_.

~Chapel~, a printers’ assembly, held for the purpose of discussing differences between employer and workmen, trade regulations, or other matters. The term is scarcely slang, but some “comps” ask its insertion in this work.

~Chapel.~ An undergrad is expected to attend seven out of the fourteen services in chapel each week, and to let four or five be morning chapels. Occasionally a Don—the Dean as a rule—will “CHAPEL” him, that is, order him to attend to worship his Creator twice daily. The Bible clerk “pricks the list,” _i.e._, marks down the names of all present.—_Univ._

~Chapel-of-ease.~ _French_, CABINET D’AISANCE, a house of office.

~Chariot-buzzing~, picking pockets in an omnibus.

~Charley~, a watchman, a beadle. Almost obsolete now.

~Charley-pitcher~, a low, cheating gambler.

~Charlies~, a woman’s breasts. Also called dairies and bubbies.

~Chats~, lice, or body vermin. _Prov._, any small things of the same kind.

~Chatter-basket~, common term for a prattling child amongst nurses.

~Chatter-box~, an incessant talker or chatterer.

~Chatty~, a filthy person, one whose clothes are not free from vermin; CHATTY DOSS, a lousy bed. A CHATTY DOSSER or a CRUMMY DOSSER is a filthy tramp or houseless wanderer.

~Chaunt~, to sing the contents of any paper in the streets. CANT, as applied to vulgar language, may have been derived from CHAUNT.

~Chaunt~, “to CHAUNT the play,” to explain the tricks and manœuvres of thieves.

~Chaunter-culls~, a singular body of men who used to haunt certain well-known public-houses, and write satirical or libellous ballads on any person, or body of persons, for a consideration. 7_s._ 6_d._ was the usual fee, and in three hours the ballad might be heard in St. Paul’s Churchyard, or other public spot. Strange as it may appear, there are actually two men in London at the present day who gain their living in this way. Very recently they were singing before the establishment of a fashionable tailor in Regent Street; and not long since they were bawling their doggrel rhymes outside the mansion of a Norfolk M.P., in Belgravia.[57]

~Chaunters~, those street sellers of ballads, last copies of verses, and other broadsheets, who sang or bawled the contents of their papers. They often termed themselves PAPER WORKERS. Cheap evening papers and private executions have together combined to improve these folks’ occupations off the face of the earth. _See_ HORSE-CHAUNTERS.

~Chaw~, to chew; CHAW UP, to get the better of one, finish him up; CHAWED UP, utterly done for.

~Chaw-bacon~, a rustic. Derived from the popular idea that a countryman lives entirely on bread and fat bacon. A country clown, a joskin, a yokel, a clodcrusher. These terms are all exchangeable.

~Chaw over~, to repeat one’s words with a view to ridicule.

~Cheap~, “doing it on the CHEAP,” living economically, or keeping up a showy appearance with very little means.

~Cheap Jacks~, or JOHNS, oratorical hucksters and patterers of hardware, who put an article up at a high price, and then cheapen it by degrees, indulging all the time in volleys of coarse wit, until it becomes to all appearance a bargain, and as such it is bought by one of the crowd. The popular idea is that the inverse method of auctioneering saves them paying for the auction licence.—_See_ DUTCH AUCTION.

~Checks~, counters used in games at cards. In the Pacific States of America a man who is dead is said to have handed (or passed) in his checks. The gamblers there are responsible for many of the colloquialisms current.

~Chee-Chee~, this word is used in a rather offensive manner to denote Eurasians,[58] or children by an English father and native mother. It takes its origin in a very common expression of half-caste females, “CHEE-CHEE,” equivalent to our Oh, fie!—Nonsense!—For shame!—_Anglo-Indian._

~Cheek~, share or portion; “where’s my CHEEK?” where is my allowance? “All to his own CHEEK,” all to himself.

~Cheek~, impudence, assurance; CHEEKY, saucy or forward.

~Cheek~, to irritate by impudence, to accuse.

~Cheek by Jowl~, side by side—said often of persons in such close confabulation that their faces almost touch.

~Cheese~, anything good, first-rate in quality, genuine, pleasant, or advantageous, is termed the CHEESE. The _London Guide_, 1818, says it was from some young fellows translating “c’est une autre CHOSE” into “that is another CHEESE.” But the expression CHEESE may be found in the Gipsy vocabulary, and in the Hindostanee and Persian languages. In the last CHIZ means a thing—that is the thing, _i.e._, the CHEESE.

~Cheese~, or CHEESE IT (evidently a corruption of _cease_), leave off, or have done; “CHEESE your barrikin,” hold your noise. Term very common.

~Cheesecutter~, a prominent and aquiline nose. Also a large square peak to a cap. Caps fitted with square peaks are called cheesecutter caps.

~Cheesemongers~, once a popular name for the First Lifeguards. Until the Peninsular War the First Lifeguards, from their almost exclusive service at home, were nicknamed CHEESEMONGERS. This term then fell into desuetude; but at Waterloo the commanding officer of the regiment had not forgotten it, and when leading his men to the charge, called out, “Come on, you damned CHEESEMONGERS!” an invitation complied with so readily, that the title was restored, with the difference that it was no longer a word of reproach.

~Cheesy~, fine or showy. The opposite of “dusty.”

~Cherry-bums~, or CHERUBIMS, a nickname given to the 11th Hussars, from their crimson trousers.

~Cherry-colour~, either red or black, as you wish; a term used in a cheating trick at cards. When the cards are being dealt, a knowing one offers to bet that he will tell the colour of the turn-up card. “Done!” says Mr. Green. The sum being named, Mr. Sharp affirms that it will be CHERRY-COLOUR; and as cherries are either black or red, he wins, leaving his victim a wiser man, it is to be hoped, and not a _better_ for the future. It may be as well for the habitually unfortunate to know that wagers of this kind are not recoverable even according to the sporting code, which disacknowledges all kinds of catch-bets.

~Cherry-merry~, a present of money. CHERRY-MERRY-BAMBOO, a beating.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Cherubs~, or still more vulgarly, CHERUBIMS, the chorister boys who chaunt in the services at the abbeys and cathedrals. Possibly because in some places their heads alone are visible.

~Cheshire Cat~, to grin like a CHESHIRE CAT, to display the teeth and gums when laughing. Formerly the phrase was “to grin like a CHESHIRE CAT eating cheese.” A hardly satisfactory explanation has been given of this phrase—that Cheshire is a county palatine, and the cats, when they think of it, are so tickled with the notion that they can’t help grinning.[59]

~Chicken~, a term applied to anything young, small, or insignificant; CHICKEN STAKES, small paltry stakes; “she’s no CHICKEN,” said of an old maid.

~Chicken-hearted~, cowardly, fearful. With about the amount of pluck a chicken in a fright might be supposed to possess.

~Chi-ike~, to hail in a rough though friendly manner; to support by means of vociferation.

~Chi-ike~, a hail; a good loud word of hearty praise; term used by the costermongers, who assist the sale of each other’s goods by a little friendly, although noisy, commendation.

~Children’s Shoes~ (to make), to be made nought of.—_See_ SHOES.

~Chill~, to warm, as beer. This at first seems like reversing the order of things, but it is only a contraction of “take the CHILL off.”

~Chimney-Sweep~, the aperient mixture commonly called a _black draught_.

~Chin-chin~, a salutation, a compliment.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Chink~, or CHINKERS, money.—_Ancient._ Derivation obvious.

~Chin-wag~, officious impertinence.

~Chip of the Old Block~, a child which physically or morally resembles its father. BROTHER CHIP, one of the same trade or profession. Originally brother carpenter, now general.

~Chips~, money; also a nickname for a carpenter.—_Sea._

~Chirp~, to give information, to “peach.”

~Chisel~, to cheat, to take a slice off anything. Hence the old conundrum: “Why is a carpenter like a swindler?—Because he chisels a deal.”

~Chit~, a letter; corruption of a _Hindoo_ word.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Chitterlings~, the shirt frills once fashionable and worn still by ancient beaux; properly the _entrails of a pig_, to which they are supposed to bear some resemblance. _Belgian_ SCHYTERLINGH.

~Chivalry~, coition. Probably a corruption from the _Lingua Franca_. Perhaps from CHEVAULCHER.

~Chive~, or CHIVEY, a shout, a halloo, or cheer; loud tongued. Probably from CHEVY-CHASE, a boy’s game, in which the word CHEVY is bawled aloud. Dickens uses the word CHIVEY in _Bleak House_ rather freely, but there it is from the other phase of CHEVY-CHASE which follows.

~Chive~, a knife; also used as a verb, to knife. In all these cases the word is pronounced as though written CHIV or CHIVVY.

~Chive-Fencer~, a street hawker of cutlery.

~Chivey~, to chase round, or hunt about. Apparently from CHEVY-CHASE.—_See_ above.

~Choakee~, or CHOKEY, the black hole.—_Military Anglo-Indian._ Chokey is also very vulgar slang for prison.

~Chock-Full~, full till the scale comes down with a shock. Originally CHOKE-FULL, and used in reference to theatres and places of amusement.

~Choke Off~, to get rid of. Bulldogs can only be made to loose their hold by choking them.[60] Suggestively to get rid of a man by saying something to him which “sticks in his gizzard.”

~Choker~, a cravat, a neckerchief. WHITE-CHOKER, the white neckerchief worn by mutes at a funeral, waiters at a tavern, and gentlemen in evening costume. Clergymen and Exeter Hallites are frequently termed WHITE-CHOKERS.

~Choker~, or WIND-STOPPER, a garotter.

~Chonkeys~, a kind of mincemeat, baked in a crust, and sold in the streets.

~Choops~, a corruption of CHOOPRAHO, keep silence.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Chootah~, small, insignificant.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Chop~, in the Canton jargon of _Anglo-Chinese_, this word has several significations. It means an official seal, a permit, a boat load of teas. FIRST CHOP signifies first quality; and CHOP-CHOP, to make haste.

~Chop~, to exchange, to “swop.” To CHOP and change, to be as variable as the wind.

~Chops~, properly CHAPS, the mouth, or cheeks; “down in the CHOPS,” or “down in the mouth,” _i.e._, sad or melancholy.

~Chouse~, to cheat out of one’s share or portion. _Hackluyt_, CHAUS; _Massinger_, CHIAUS. From the _Turkish_, in which language it signifies an interpreter. _Gifford_ gives a curious story as to its origin:—

“In the year 1609 there was attached to the Turkish embassy in England an Interpreter, or CHIAOUS, who, by cunning, aided by his official position, managed to cheat the Turkish and Persian merchants, then in London, out of the large sum of £4000, then deemed an enormous amount. From the notoriety which attended the fraud, and the magnitude of the swindle, any one who cheated or defrauded was said to _chiaous_, or _chause_, or CHOUSE; to do, that is, as this _Chiaous_ had done.”—_See Trench, Eng. Past and Present._

CHIAUS, according to _Sandys_ (_Travels_, p. 48), is “one who goes on embassies, executes commandments,” &c. The particular Chiaus in question is alluded to in _Ben Jonson’s Alchymist_, 1610.

“_D._ What do you think of me? That I am a CHIAUS? _Face._ What’s that? _D._ The Turk [who] was here. As one would say, do you think I am a Turk?”

~Chout~, an entertainment.—_East-end of London._

~Chovey~, a shop.—_Costermonger._

~Chow-Chow~, a mixture, food of any kind. Also chit-chat and gossip.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Chowdar~, a fool.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Christening~, erasing the name of the maker, the number, or any other mark, from a stolen watch, and inserting a fictitious one in its place.

~Chubby~, round-faced, plump. Probably from the same derivative as CHUB, which means literally a fish with a big head.

~Chuck~, bread or meat; in fact, anything to eat. Also a particular kind of beefsteak.

~Chuck~, a schoolboy’s treat.—_Westminster School._ Provision for an entertainment. Hard CHUCK is sea biscuit.

~Chuck~, to throw or pitch.

~Chuck a Jolly~, to bear up or bonnet, as when a costermonger praises the inferior article his mate or partner is trying to sell. _See_ CHI-IKE.

~Chuck a Stall~, to attract a person’s attention while a confederate picks his pockets, or otherwise robs him.

~Chuck in~, to challenge—from the pugilistic custom of throwing a hat into the ring; a modern version of “throwing down the gauntlet.” This term seems to have gone out of fashion with the custom which gave rise to it.

~Chuckle-head~, much the same as “buffle head,” “cabbage head,” “chowder head,” “cod’s head,”—all signifying that large abnormal form of skull generally supposed to accompany stupidity and weakness of intellect; as the Scotch proverb, “muckle head and little wit.”—Originally Devonshire, but now general.

~Chucks!~ Schoolboy’s signal on the master’s approach.

~Chuck up~, to surrender, give in—from the custom of throwing up the sponge at a prize-fight in token of yielding. This is very often corrupted into “jack up.”

~Chuff it~, _i.e._, be off, or take it away, in answer to a street seller who is importuning you to purchase. _Halliwell_ mentions CHUFF as a “term of reproach,” surly, &c.

~Chull~, make haste. An abbreviation of the _Hindostanee_ CHULLO, signifying “go along.” CHULL is very commonly used to accelerate the motions of a servant, driver, or palanquin-bearer.

~Chum~, an intimate acquaintance. A recognised term, but in such frequent use with slangists that it almost demands a place here. Stated to be from the _Anglo-Saxon_, CUMA, a guest.

~Chum~, to occupy a joint lodging with another person. _Latin_, CUM.

~Chumming-up~, an old custom amongst prisoners before the present regulations were in vogue, and before imprisonment for debt was abolished; when a fresh man was admitted to their number, rough music was made with pokers, tongs, sticks, and saucepans. For this ovation the initiated prisoner had to pay, or “fork over,” half-a-crown—or submit to a loss of coat and waistcoat.

~Chummy~, a chimney-sweep—probably connected with _chimney_; also a low-crowned felt hat. Sometimes, but rarely, a sweep is called a clergyman—from his colour.

~Chump~, the head or face. Also one end of a loin of mutton. A half-idiotic or daft person is said to be off his chump.

~Chunk~, a thick or dumpy piece of any substance, as a CHUNK of bread or meat.—_Kentish._

~Church a yack~ (or watch), to take the works of a watch from its original case, and put them into another one, to avoid detection.—_See_ CHRISTEN.

~Churchwarden~, a long pipe, “a yard of clay;” probably so called from the dignity which seems to hedge the smoker of a churchwarden, and the responsibility attached to its use. Sometimes called an Alderman.

~Cinder~, any liquor used in connexion with soda-water, as to “take a soda with a CINDER in it.” The cinder may be sherry, brandy, or any other liquor.

~Circumbendibus~, a roundabout way, a long-winded story.

~Clack-box~, a garrulous person, so called from the rattle formerly used by vagrants to make a rattling noise and attract attention.—_Norfolk._

⁂ A common proverb in this county is, “your tongue goes like A BAKER’S CLAP-DISH,” which is evidently a modern corruption of the beggars’ CLAP or CLACK-DISH mentioned in _Measure for Measure_. It was a wooden dish with a movable cover.

~Claggum~, boiled treacle in a hardened state, hardbake.—_See_ CLIGGY.

~Clam, or clem~, to starve.—_North._

~Clap~, to place; “do you think you can CLAP your hand on him?” _i.e._, find him out. CLAP is also a well-known form of a contagious disease.

~Clapper~, the tongue. Said of an over-talkative person, to be hung in the middle and to sound with both ends.

~Clap-trap~, high-sounding nonsense. An ancient theatrical term for a “TRAP to catch a CLAP by way of applause from the spectators at a play.”—_Bailey’s Dictionary._

~Claret~, blood.—_Pugilistic._ Otherwise Badminton—which _see_.

~Clashy~, a low fellow, a labourer.—_Anglo-Indian._