Part 13

~Class~, the highest quality or combination of highest qualities among athletes. “He’s not CLASS enough,” _i.e._, not good enough. “There’s a deal of CLASS about him,” _i.e._, a deal of quality. The term as used this way obtains to a certain extent among turfites.

~Clawhammer coat~, an American term for a tail-coat used in evening costume. Also known as a steel-pen coat.

~Clean~, quite, or entirely; “CLEAN gone,” entirely out of sight, or away.—_Old_, see Cotgrave and Shakspeare. CLEAN CONTRARY, quite different, opposite.

~Clean out~, to ruin, or make bankrupt any one; to take all he has got, by purchase, chicane, or force. De Quincey, in his article on Richard Bentley, speaking of the lawsuit between that great scholar and Dr. Colbatch, remarks that the latter “must have been pretty well CLEANED OUT.” The term is very general.

~Click~, a knock or blow. CLICK-HANDED, left-handed.—_Cornish._ A term in Cumberland and Westmoreland wrestling for a peculiar kind of throw, as “an inside CLICK,” or “an outside CLICK.”

~Click~, to snatch, to pull away something that belongs to another.

~Clicker~, a female touter at a bonnet shop. In Northamptonshire, the cutter out in a shoemaking establishment. In the _Dictionary of the Terms, Ancient and Modern, of the Canting Crew_, Lond. n. d. (but prior to 1700), the CLICKER is described as “the shoemaker’s journeyman or servant, that cutts out all the work, and stands at or walks before the door, and saies—‘What d’ye lack, sir? what d’ye buy, madam?’” In a printing-office, a man who makes up the pages, and who takes work and receives money for himself and companions.

~Clift~, to steal.

~Cliggy~, or CLIDGY, sticky.—_Anglo-Saxon_, CLÆG, clay.—_See_ CLAGGUM.

~Clinch~ (to get the), to be locked up in jail.

~Clincher~, that which rivets or confirms an argument, an incontrovertible position. Also a lie which cannot be surpassed, a stopper-up, said to be derived as follows:—Two notorious liars were backed to outlie each other. “I drove a nail through the moon once,” said the first. “Right,” said the other; “I recollect the circumstance well, for I went round to the back part of the moon and _clinched_ it”—hence CLINCHER.

~Cling-rig~, stealing tankards from public-houses, &c.

~Clipper~, a fine fast-sailing vessel. Applied also as a term of encomium to a handsome woman.

~Clipping~, excellent, very good. CLIPPER, anything showy or first-rate.

~Clock~, a watch. Watches are also distinguished by the terms “red clock,” a gold watch, and “white clock,” a silver watch. Generally modified into “red’un” and “white’un.”

~Clock~, “to know what’s O’CLOCK,” to be “up, down, fly and awake,” to know everything about everything—a definition of knowingness in general.—_See_ TIME O’ DAY.

~Clod-hopper~, a country clown.

~Cloud~, TO BE UNDER A, to be in difficulties, disgrace or disrepute; in fact, to be in shady circumstances.

~Clout~, or RAG, a cotton pocket-handkerchief.—_Old Cant._ Now “_clouts_” means a woman’s under-clothes, from the waist downwards, _i.e._, petticoats when they are on the person; but the term is extended to mean the whole unworn wardrobe. Probably St. Giles’s satire, having reference to the fact that few women there possess a second gown.

~Clout~, an intentional heavy blow.

~Clover~, happiness, luck, a delightful position—from the supposed extra enjoyment which attends cattle when they suddenly find their quarters changed from a barren field to a meadow of clover. Among betting men he who has arranged his wagerings so satisfactorily before an event that he cannot possibly lose, and may win a good deal, is said to be in clover, a phrase which is sometimes varied by the remark that “he stands on velvet.” Any one who is provided for, so that he can look forward to a term of ease and enjoyment for the rest of his life, is also said to be in clover.

~Club~, in manœuvring troops, so to blunder in giving the word of command that the soldiers get into a position from which they cannot extricate themselves by ordinary tactical means. Young officers frequently “CLUB” their men, and get consequently “wigged” by the inspecting general.

~Clump~, to strike, to beat.—_Prov._

~Cly~, a pocket.—_Old Cant_ for to steal. A correspondent derives this word from the _Old English_, CLEYES, claws; _Anglo-Saxon_, CLEA. This pronunciation is still retained in Norfolk; thus, to CLY would mean to pounce upon, to snatch.—_See_ FRISK. _Gael._, CLIAH (pronounced CLEE), a basket.

~Cly-faker~, a pickpocket.

~Coach~, a private tutor. Originally University, but now general. Any man who now trains or teaches another, or others, is called a coach. To coach is to instruct as regards either physical or mental acquirements. A private tutor is sometimes termed a RURAL COACH when he is not connected with a college. At Rugby a flogging is termed a “coaching.”

~Coach-wheel~, or TUSHEROON, a crown-piece, or five shillings.

~Coal~, money; “post the COAL,” put down the money. The phrase was used by Mr. Buckstone at the Theatrical Fund Dinner of 1863. From this is derived the theatrical term COALING, profitable, very good, which an actor will use if his part is full of good and telling speeches—thus, “my part is full of COALING lines.” This term was used in the sporting world long anterior to Mr. Buckstone’s speech. _See_ COAL.

~Coals~, “to haul (or pull) over the COALS,” to take to task, to scold. Supposed by Jamieson to refer to the ordeal by fire. To “take one’s coals in,” is a term used by sailors to express their having caught the venereal disease. It means that they have gotten that which will keep them hot for a good many months.

~Cobbing~, a punishment inflicted by sailors and soldiers among themselves. _See_ Grose and Captain Marryat’s novels. A hand-saw is the general instrument of punishment.

~Cock~, a familiar term of address; “jolly old COCK,” a jovial fellow, “how are you, old COCK?” Frequently rendered nowadays, COCK-E-E, a vulgar street salutation—probably a corruption of COCK-EYE. The latter is frequently heard as a shout or street cry after a man or boy.

~Cock~, a smoking term; “COCKING a Broseley,” _i.e._, smoking a pipe. Broseley in Shropshire is famous for “churchwardens.” A “COCK” is an apocryphal story, generally, of a murder or elopement bawled about the streets by the Seven Dials’ “patterers.”

~Cock~, a pugilistic term for a man who is knocked out of time. “Knocked him a reg’lar COCK.” Sometimes used to signify knocked out of shape, as, “Knocked him A-COCK,” probably connected with “cocked-hat shape.” A horse who has been backed by the public, but who does not run, or, running, does not persevere.

~Cock~, “to COCK your eye,” to shut or wink one eye, to make “sheep’s-eyes.”

~Cock-a-hoop~, in high spirits. Possibly the idea is from the fact that, if a cock wins a fight, he will mount on anything near, and crow lustily and jubilantly. It is noticeable that under these circumstances a cock always gets off the ground-level if he can.

~Cockalorum~, or COCKYLORUM, amplification of cock or cocky.

~Cock and bull story~, a long, rambling anecdote.—_See_ Peroration to _Tristram Shandy_.

~Cock-and-hen-club~, a free and easy gathering, or “sing-song,” where females are admitted as well as males.

~Cock-and-pinch~, the old-fashioned beaver hat, affected by “swells” and “sporting gents” forty years ago—COCKED back and front, and PINCHED up at the sides.

~Cock-a-wax~, an amplification of the simple term COCK, sometimes “Lad of WAX,” originally applied to a cobbler, but now general.

~Cocked-hat-club~, the principal clique amongst the members of the Society of Antiquaries, who virtually decide whether any person proposed shall be admitted or not. The term comes from the “cocked-hat” placed before the president at the sittings. There was another cocked-hat club in London not many years back, which had nothing peculiar about it beyond the fact that every member wore during club sittings, a “fore-and-aft” cocked-hat. Otherwise the proceedings were of the most ordinary kind.

~Cocked-hat-shaped~, shapeless: Anything which has been altered beyond recognition, or any man who has been put completely _hors de combat_, is said to have been knocked into a COCKED-HAT.

~Cocker~, “It is all right, according to Cocker,” meaning that everything has been done in accordance with the present system of figures. The phrase refers to the celebrated writing-master of Charles II.’s time, whose Arithmetic, Dictionary, &c., were long the standard authorities. The Arithmetic was first published in 1677-8, and, though it reached more than sixty editions, is considered a very scarce book. Professor de Morgan says that the main goodness of Cocker’s _Tutor_ consists in his adopting the abbreviated system of division; and suggests that it became a proverbial representative of arithmetic from Murphy’s farce of _The Apprentice_, 1756, in which the strong point of the old merchant, Wingate, is his extreme reverence for Cocker and his arithmetic. A curious fact may here be mentioned in connexion with this saying. It has been stated, and very well proved, that many words popular in Shakspeare’s time, and now obsolete in this country, are still in every-day use in the older English settlements of North America. The original compiler of this work was surprised, when travelling through Western Canada, to find that, instead of the renowned Cocker, the people appealed to another and more learned authority. “According to Gunter,” is a phrase in continual Transatlantic use. This scientific worthy invented the sector in 1606; and in 1623, about the time of the great Puritan exodus to North America, he brought out his famous _Rule of Proportion_. This was popularly known as Gunter’s Proportion, or _Gunter’s Line_, and the term soon became a vulgar standard of appeal in cases of doubt or dispute.

~Cock-eye~, a term of opprobrium often applied to one that squints.

~Cockles~, “to rejoice the COCKLES of one’s heart,” a vulgar phrase implying great pleasure. Also, to “warm one’s COCKLES,” said of any hot, well-spiced drink, taken in cold weather. COCKLES altogether seem to be an imaginary portion—of great importance—in the internal economy of the human frame.

~Cockney~, a native of London. Originally, a spoilt or effeminate boy, derived from COCKERING, or foolishly petting a person, rendering him of soft and luxurious manners. Halliwell states, in his admirable essay upon the word, that “some writers trace the word with much probability to the imaginary land of COCKAYGNE, the lubber land of the olden times.” Grose gives Minsheu’s absurd but comical derivation:—A citizen of London being in the country, and hearing a horse neigh, exclaimed, “Lord! how that horse laughs!” A bystander informed him that the noise was called neighing. The next morning when the cock crowed, the citizen, to show that he had not forgotten what was told him, cried out, “Do you hear how the COCK NEIGHS?”—_See_ MARE’S NEST.

~Cock of the walk~, a master spirit, head of a party. Places where poultry are fed are called WALKS, and the barn door cocks invariably fight for the supremacy till one has obtained it. At schools where this phrase was originally much used, it has been diminished to “COCK” only.

~Cock one’s toes~, to die. Otherwise “turn-up one’s toes.”

~Cock-robin shop~, a small printing-office, where cheap and nasty work is done and low wages are paid.

~Cocks~, fictitious narratives, in verse or prose, of murders, fires, and terrible accidents, sold in the streets as true accounts. The man who hawks them, a patterer, often changes the scene of the awful event to suit the taste of the neighbourhood he is trying to delude. Possibly a corruption of _cook_, a cooked statement, or maybe “the story of a cock and a bull” may have had something to do with the term. Improvements in newspapers, especially in those published in the evening, and increased scepticism on the part of the public, have destroyed this branch of a once-flourishing business.

~Cockshy~, a game at fairs and races, where trinkets are set upon sticks, and for one penny three throws at them are accorded, the thrower keeping whatever he knocks off. From the ancient game of throwing or “shying” at live cocks. Any prominent person abused in the newspapers is said to be a common COCKSHY.

~Cocksure~, certain.

~Cocky~, pert, saucy.

~Cocoa-nut~, the head. A pugilistic term. Also, when anything is explained to a man for the first time, it is not unusual for him to say, “Ah, that accounts for the milk in the cocoa-nut”—a remark which has its origin in a clever but not very moral story.

~Cocum~, shrewdness, ability, luck; “Jack’s got COCUM, he’s safe to get on, he is,”—viz., he starts under favourable circumstances; “to fight COCUM” is to be wily and cautious. Allied perhaps to the Scottish KEEK, _German_, GUCKEN, to peep or pry into.

~Cod~, to hoax, to take a “rise” out of one. Used as a noun, a fool.

~Coddam~, a public-house game, much affected by medical students and cabmen, generally three on each side. The game is “simplicity itself,” but requires a great amount of low cunning and peculiar mental ingenuity. It consists in guessing in which of the six hands displayed on the table, a small piece of marked money lies hid. If the guesser “brings it home,” his side takes the “piece,” and the centre man “works” it. If the guess is wrong, a chalk is taken to the holders, who again secrete the coin. Great fun is to be obtained from this game when it is properly played.

~Codds~, the “poor brethren” of the Charter House. In _The Newcomes_, Thackeray writes, “The Cistercian lads call these old gentlemen CODDS; I know not wherefore.” A probable abbreviation of CODGER.

~Codger~, or COGER, an old man; “a rum old CODGER,” a curious old fellow. CODGER is sometimes used as synonymous with CADGER, and then signifies a person who gets his living in a questionable manner. “COGERS,” the name of a debating society, formerly held in Shoe Lane, Fleet Street, and still in existence. The term is probably a corruption of COGITATORS.

~Coffee-Shop~, a watercloset, or house of office.

~Cog~, to cheat at dice.—_Shakspeare._ Also, to agree with, as one cog-wheel does with another, to crib from another’s book, as schoolboys often do. This is called “cogging over.”

~Cogged~, loaded like false dice. Any one who has been hocussed or cheated is sometimes said to have been COGGED.

~Coin~, “to post the COIN”—sometimes “post the coal”—a sporting phrase meaning to make a deposit of money for a match of any kind.

~Cold blood~, a house licensed for the sale of beer “NOT to be drunk on the premises.”

~Cold coffee~, misfortune; sometimes varied to COLD GRUEL. An unpleasant return for a proffered kindness is sometimes called COLD COFFEE.—_Sea._

~Cold coffee~, an Oxford synonym for a “sell,” which _see_.

~Cold cook~, an undertaker. Cold cook’s shop, an undertaker’s.

~Cold meat~, a corpse. COLD-MEAT BOX, a coffin.

~Cold meat train~, the last train at night by which officers can reach Aldershot per South Western Railway. So called because by this train corpses are often conveyed on account of the Necropolis Company to Woking.

~Cold shoulder~, “to show or give any one the COLD SHOULDER” is to “cut” in a modified form, to assume a distant manner towards anybody, to evince a desire to cease acquaintanceship. Sometimes termed “COLD SHOULDER of mutton.”

~Colfabias~, a Latinized Irish phrase signifying the closet of decency, applied as a slang term to a place of resort in Trinity College, Dublin.

~Collar~, “out of COLLAR,” _i.e._, out of place, no work. Probably a variation of the metaphorical expressions, “in, or out of harness,” _i.e._, in or out of work—the horse being in collar when harnessed for his work. COLLAR work is any very hard work, from the expression among drivers. Any uphill journey is said to be all “COLLAR work” for the horses.

~Collar~, to seize, to lay hold of. Thieves’ slang, _i.e._, to steal.

~Collar and elbow~, a term for a peculiar style of wrestling—the Cornwall and Devon style.

~Collections~, the College examinations at the end of each term, when undergraduates wear white ties and bands, and are trotted through the subjects of the term’s lecture. These are the occasions when the dons administer reproof or advice on the conduct of each individual undergrad.—_Oxford University._

~Collogue~, to conspire, talk mysteriously together in low tones, plot mischief. Connected with “colloquy” or “colleague.” Maybe mixture of both.

~Colly-wobbles~, the stomach-ache, a person’s bowels,—supposed by many to be the seat of feeling and nutrition.—_Devonshire._

~Colour~, complexion, tint; “I’ve not seen the COLOUR of his money,” _i.e._, he has never paid me any. In fortune-telling by cards, a _diamond colour_ is the fairest; _heart-colour_, fair, but not so fair as the last; _club colour_, rather dark; _spade colour_, an extremely swarthy complexion.

~Colour~, a handkerchief worn by each of the supporters of a professional athlete on the day of a match, so as to distinguish them from the partizans of the other side. The professional chooses his colours, and his backers, and as many of the general public as can be persuaded to do so, take one each to wear on the eventful day, the understanding being that the man is to be paid, say, a guinea if he wins, and nothing if he loses. Some of these handkerchiefs used to be, in the palmy days of pugilism and professional rowing on the Thames, very fine specimens of work; but as their purveyors expected to be paid whether they won or lost, and as the price was generally about four times the intrinsic value, colours are rather shyly dealt with now. The custom is, however, a very ancient one, and such men as Tom Sayers, Tom King, Harry Kelley, and Bob Chambers have, even in these degenerate days, received very large sums for their winning colours.

~Colt~, a murderous weapon, formed by slinging a small shot to the end of a rather stiff piece of rope. It is the original of the misnamed “life-preserver.”

~Colt~, a person who sits as juryman for the first time. In Cork an operative baker who does not belong to the union.

~Colt~, a professional cricketer during his first season. From the best colts in the annual match are selected new county players.

~Colt~, to fine a new juryman a sum to be spent in drink, by way of “wetting” his office; to make a person free of a new place, which is done by his standing treat, and submitting to be struck on the sole of the foot with a piece of board.

~Colt’s tooth~, elderly persons of juvenile tastes are said to have a COLT’S TOOTH, _i.e._, a desire to shed their teeth once more, to see life over again.

~Comb-cut~, mortified, disgraced, “down on one’s luck.”—_See_ CUT.

~Come~, a slang verb used in many phrases; “Aint he COMING IT?” _i.e._, is he not proceeding at a great rate? “Don’t COME TRICKS here,” “don’t COME THE OLD SOLDIER over me,” _i.e._, we are aware of your practices, and “twig” your manœuvre. COMING IT STRONG, exaggerating, going ahead, the opposite of “drawing it mild.” COMING IT also means informing or disclosing. Also, in pugilistic phraseology, to COME IT means to show fear; and in this respect, as well as in that of giving information, the expression “COME IT” is best known to the lower and most dangerous classes.

~Come down~, to pay down.

~Commemoration~, the end of Lent term at Oxford, when honorary degrees are conferred and certain prizes given, and when men have friends “up.”

~Commission~, a shirt.—_Ancient Cant._ _Italian_, CAMICIA.

“As from our beds, we doe oft cast our eyes, Cleane linnen yeelds a shirt before we rise, Which is a garment _shifting_ in condition; And in the _canting tongue_ is a COMMISSION. In weale or woe, in joy or dangerous drifts, A _shirt_ will put a man unto his _shifts_.”

—_Taylor’s Works_, 1630.

For further particulars, _see_ CAMESA.

~Commister~, a chaplain or clergyman.—Originally _Old Cant_.

~Common sewer~, a DRAIN,—vulgar equivalent for a drink.

~Commons~, the allowance of anything sent out of the buttery or kitchen. “A COMMONS of bread,” or “of cheese,” for instance.—_University._ SHORT COMMONS (derived from the University slang term), a scanty meal, a scarcity.

~Competition wallah~, one who entered the Indian Civil Service by passing a competitive examination.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Compo~, a sailor’s term for his monthly advance of wages.

~Comprador~, a purveyor, an agent.—_Originally Spanish, now Anglo-Chinese._

~Concaves and convexes~, a pack of cards contrived for cheating, by cutting all the cards from the two to the seven concave, and all from the eight to the king convex. Then by cutting the pack breadthwise a convex card is cut, and by cutting it lengthwise a concave is secured.—_See_ LONGS AND SHORTS.

~Conjee~, a kind of gruel made of rice.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Conk~, a nose. Possibly from the _Latin_, CONCHA, a shell. _Greek_, κόγχη—hence anything hollow. Somewhat of a parallel may be found in the _Latin_, TESTA, an earthenware pot, a shell, and in later _Latin_, a _skull_; from whence the _French_ TESTE, or TÊTE, head. CONKY, having a projecting or remarkable nose. The first Duke of Wellington was frequently termed “Old CONKY” in satirical papers and caricatures.

~Connaught Rangers~, the Eighty-eighth Regiment of Foot in the British Army.

~Conshun’s price~, fair terms, without extortion. Probably conscience price.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Constable~, “to overrun the CONSTABLE,” to exceed one’s income, or get deep in debt. The origin of this phrase is unknown, but its use is very general.

~Constitutional~, a walk, or other exercise taken for the benefit of the health.

~Consumah~, a butler.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Contango~, among stockbrokers and jobbers, is a certain sum paid for accommodating a buyer or seller, by carrying the engagement to pay money or deliver shares over to the next account day.

~Continuations~, coverings for the legs, whether trousers or breeches. A word belonging to the same squeamish, affected family as unmentionables, inexpressibles, &c.

~Convey~, to steal; “CONVEY, the wise it call.”

~Conveyancer~, a pickpocket. Shakspeare uses the cant expression CONVEYER, a thief. The same term is also French slang.

~Cooey~, the Australian bush-call, now not unfrequently heard in the streets of London.

~Cook~, a term well known in the Bankruptcy Courts, in reference to accounts that have been meddled with, or COOKED, by the bankrupt; also to form a balance-sheet from general trade inferences; stated by a correspondent to have been first used in reference to the celebrated alteration of the accounts of the Eastern Counties Railway, by George Hudson, the Railway King. Any unfair statements of accounts or reports are now said to be COOKED.

~Cook~, in artistic circles, to dodge up a picture. Artists say that a picture will not COOK when it is excellent and unconventional, and beyond specious imitation.

~Cook one’s goose~, to kill or ruin a person.—_North._

~Cooler~, a glass of porter as a wind up, after drinking spirits and water. This form of drinking is sometimes called “putting the beggar on the gentleman.”

~Coolie~, a soldier, in allusion to the Hindoo COOLIES, or day labourers.

~Coon~, abbreviation of racoon.—_American._ A GONE COON—_ditto_, one in an awful fix, past praying for. This expression is said to have originated in the first American war with a spy, who dressed himself in a racoon skin, and ensconced himself in a tree. An English rifleman taking him for a veritable coon, levelled his piece at him, upon which he exclaimed, “Don’t shoot, I’ll come down of myself, I know I’m a GONE COON.” The Yankees say the Britisher was so “flummuxed,” that he flung down his rifle and “made tracks” for home. The phrase is pretty general in England. [There is one difficulty about this story—How big was the man who dressed himself in a racoon skin?]