Part 24

~Line~, a hoax, a fool-trap; as, “to get him in a LINE,” _i.e._, to get some sport out of him.

~Line~, calling, trade, profession; “what LINE are you in?” “the building LINE.”

~Liner~, a casual reporter, paid by the line. Diminutive of “penny-a-liner.”

~Lingo~, talk, or language. Slang is termed LINGO amongst the lower orders. _Italian_, LINGUA.—_Lingua Franca._

~Lint-scraper~, a young surgeon. Thackeray, in _Lovel the Widower_, uses the phrase, and gives, also, the words “Æsculapius,” “Pestle-grinder,” and “Vaccinator,” for the same character.

~Lionesses~, ladies visiting an Oxford man, especially at “Commemoration,” which is the chief time for receiving feminine visitors at the University.

~Lion-hunter~, one who hunts up, and has a devout veneration for, small celebrities. Mrs. Leo Hunter, in _Pickwick_, is a splendid specimen of this unpleasant creature.

~Lionize~, to make much of any visitor with small or moderate claims to distinction; to conduct a stranger round the principal objects of attraction in a place; to act as cicerone.

~Lions~, notabilities, either persons or sights worthy of inspection; an expression dating from the times when the royal lions at the Tower, before the existence of Zoological Gardens and travelling menageries, were a London wonder, to visit which country cousins and strangers of eminence were constantly taken. Visitors taken round at Cambridge to see the sights are, or were, called LIONS. The origin of the Tower collection was the three leopards sent by the Emperor Frederic to Henry III., as a living illustration of the royal arms of England. In the roll of John de Cravebeadell, constable of the Tower (_B. M. Top. Collections_, iii. p. 153), is a charge of 3_d._ per day “in support of the leopard of our lord the king.” Edward III., when Prince of Wales, appears to have taken great interest in the animals; and after he became king, there was not only the old leopard, but “one lion, one lioness, and two cat-lions,” says Stowe, “in the said Tower, committed to the custody of Robert, son of John Bowre.” The menagerie was only abolished in 1834; and the practice was to allow any person to enter gratis who brought with him a little dog to be thrown to the lions!—_Dr. Doran’s Princes of Wales._

~Lip~, talk, bounce, impudence; “come, none o’ yer LIP!”

~Lip~, to sing; “LIP us a chant,” sing a song.

~Liquor~, or LIQUOR UP, to drink drams.—_Americanism._ In LIQUOR, tipsy, or drunk.

~Little go~, the old term for the examination now called SMALLS.

~Little snakes-man~, a little thief, who is generally passed through a small aperture to open a door and let in the rest of the gang.

~Liverpool Irishman~, any man born in Liverpool of Irish parents. See IRISH COCKNEY.

~Liverpudlian~, a native of Liverpool.

~Live-stock~, vermin of the insect kind, especially of that more than usually unpleasant kind found on tramps, &c.

~Loafer~, a lazy vagabond. Generally considered an Americanism. LOPER, or LOAFER, however, was in general use as a cant term in the early part of the last century. LANDLOPER was a vagabond who begged in the attire of a sailor; and the sea-phrase, LAND-LUBBER, was doubtless synonymous.

~Loaver~, money. _See_ LOUR.—_Lingua Franca._

~Lob~, a till, or money-drawer.

~Lob-sneaking~, stealing money from tills; occasionally stealing tills and all.

~Lobb~, the head.—_Pugilistic._

~Loblolly~, gruel.—_Old_: used by Markham as a sea-term for grit gruel, or hasty pudding.

~Loblolly boy~, a derisive term for a surgeon’s mate in the navy.

“LOB-LOLLY-BOY is a person who on board of a man-of-war attends the surgeon and his mates, and one who knows just as much of the business of a seaman as the author of this poem.”—_The Patent, a Poem_, 4to, 1776.

~Lobs!~ schoolboys’ signal on the master’s approach. Also, an assistant watcher, an under gamekeeper.

~Lobs~, words, talk.—_Gipsy._

~Lobscouse~, a dish made of potatoes, meat, and biscuits, boiled together.

~Lobster~, a soldier. A policeman, from the colour of his coat, is styled an unboiled, or raw LOBSTER.

~Lobster-box~, a barrack, or military station.

~Loggerheads~, “to come to LOGGERHEADS,” to come to blows.

~Logie~, theatrical jewellery, made mostly of tin.

~Loll~, to lie about lazily. “He would LOLL upon the handle of the door,” said of an incorrigibly lazy fellow.

~Lolly~, the head. _See_ LOBB.—_Pugilistic._

~London ordinary~, the beach at Brighton, where the “eight-hours-at-the-sea-side” excursionists dine in the open-air.

~Long-bow.~ _See_ DRAW THE LONG BOW.

~Long firm~, a gang of swindlers who obtain goods by false pretences. They generally advertise or answer advertisements. The word LONG is supposed to be from a playful allusion made by one of the firm to the length of their credit.

~Long-ghost~, a tall, thin, awkward person. Sometimes called “lamp-post.”

~Long-headed~, far-seeing, clever, calculating.

~Long-hundred~, a Billingsgate expression for 120 fresh herrings, or other small fish, the long-hundred being six score.

~Long-odds~, the odds which denote that the man or animal laid against has, or is supposed to have, little or no chance.

~Long-shore butcher~, a coast-guardsman.—_Sea._ All people who get their livings by the side of the Thames below bridge are called LONG-SHORE folk.

~Long-tailed beggar~, a cat. The tale that hangs thereby runs thus:—A boy, during his first very short voyage to sea, had become so entirely a seaman, that on his return he had forgotten the name of the cat, and was obliged, pointing to puss, to ask his mother “what she called that ’ere LONG-TAILED BEGGAR?” Accordingly, sailors, when they hear a freshwater tar discoursing too largely on nautical matters, are very apt to say, “But how, mate, about that ’ere LONG-TAILED BEGGAR?”

~Long-tailed-one~, a bank-note or “flimsy” for a large amount.

~Long-tails~, among shooters, are pheasants; among coursers and dog-fanciers they are greyhounds.

~Longs~, the latrine at Brasenose, so called because built by LADY LONG.—_Oxford University._

~Longs-and-shorts~, cards made for cheating.

~Looking-glass~, a facetious synonym for a _pot de chambre_. This is very old. The term arose from the fact that in ancient times this utensil was the object of very frequent examination by the medical fraternity. There is an old story of a lady who called at an inn, and called for a LOOKING-GLASS to arrange her hair, and who was presented with a chamber utensil.

~Loony~, a silly fellow, a natural. Corruption of LOONEY TICK (lunatic). Sometimes corrupted to LOOBY.

~Loose.~ _See_ ON THE LOOSE.

~Loose-box~, a brougham or other vehicle kept for the use of a _dame de compagnie_. A more vulgar appellation is “mot-cart,” the contemptuous sobriquet applied by the envious mob to a one-horse covered carriage.

~Loose-box~, a stable in which a horse is not tethered, but remains loose.

~Loot~, swag or plunder; also used as a verb. The word came much into vogue during the latest Chinese campaign.

~Lope~, this old form of leap is often heard in the streets. To LOPE is also to steal. _German_, LAUFEN.

~Lop-sided~, uneven, one side larger than the other. _See Jacob Faithful._

~Lord~, a humpbacked man. _See_ MY LORD.

~Lord~, “drunk as a LORD,” a common saying, probably referring to the facilities a man of fortune has for such a gratification; perhaps a sly sarcasm at the supposed habits of the aristocracy. This phrase had its origin in the old hard drinking days, when it was almost compulsory on a man of fashion to get drunk regularly after dinner.

~Lord-mayor’s-fool~, an imaginary personage who likes everything that is good, and plenty of it.

~Lothario~, a “gay” deceiver; generally a heartless, brainless villain.

~Loud~, flashy, showy, as applied to dress or manner. _See_ BAGS.

~Lour~, or LOWR, money; “gammy LOWR,” bad money. From the Wallachian Gipsy word, LOWE, coined money. Possibly connected with the French, LOUER, to hire.—_Ancient Cant_ and _Gipsy_.

~Louse-trap~, a small-tooth comb.—_Old Cant._ _See_ CATCH-’EM-ALIVE.

~Love~, at billiards, rackets, and many other games, nothing: five points to none would be “five LOVE,”—a LOVE game being when one player does not score at all. The term is also used at whist, “six LOVE,” “four LOVE,” when one side has marked up six, four, or any other number, and the other none. A writer in the _Gentleman’s Magazine_ for July, 1780, derives it either from LUFF, an old Scotch word for the hand, or from the _Dutch_, LOEF, the LOOF, weather-gauge (_Sewell’s Dutch Dictionary_, 4to, 1754); but it more probably, from the sense of the following, denotes something done without reciprocity.

~Love~, “to do a thing for LOVE,” _i.e._, for nothing. A man is said to marry for LOVE when he gets nothing with his wife; and an Irishman, with the bitterest animosity against his antagonist, will fight him for LOVE, _i.e._, for the mere satisfaction of beating him, and not for a stake.

~Loveage~, tap droppings, a mixture of stale spirits, sweetened and sold to habitual dram-drinkers, principally females. Called also “alls.”

~Low-water~, but little money in pocket, when the finances are at a low ebb.

~Lubber~, a clown, or fool.—_Ancient Cant_, LUBBARE. Among seamen an awkward fellow, a landsman.

~Lubber’s hole~, an aperture in the maintop of a ship, by which a timid climber may avoid the difficulties of the “futtock shrouds;” hence as a sea-term the LUBBER’S HOLE represents any cowardly way of evading duty.

~Luck~, “down on one’s LUCK,” wanting money, or in difficulty.

~Lucky~, “to cut one’s LUCKY,” to go away quickly. _See_ STRIKE.

~Ludlam’s dog.~ An indolent, inactive person is often said to be “as lazy as LUDLAM’S DOG, which leaned its head against the wall to bark.” Sailors say “as lazy as Joe the Marine, who laid down his musket to sneeze.”

~Lug~, “my togs are in LUG,” _i.e._, in pawn.

~Lug~, to pull, or slake thirst.—_Old._

~Lug chovey~, a pawnbroker’s shop.

~Luke~, nothing.—_North Country Cant._

~Lully~, a shirt.

~Lully prigger~, a rogue who steals wet clothes hung on lines to dry.

~Lumber~, to pawn or pledge. Probably from LOMBARD.

~Lumbered~, pawned; sometimes imprisoned.

~Lummy~, jolly, first-rate.

~Lump~, anything exceptionally large, “as a LUMP of a man,” “a great LUMP of a fellow,” &c.

~Lump~, the workhouse; also called the Pan.

~Lump it~, to dislike it; “if you don’t like it, you may LUMP IT;” sometimes varied to, “if you don’t like it, you may do the other thing.” Probably from the fact that, in bulk or in lump, the good has to be taken with the bad. What you don’t like must be reckoned with the LUMP. To LUMP IT is also to take off at a draught, as medicine or a dram. “He LUMPED IT down at once.”

~Lump the lighter~, to be transported.

~Lump work~, work contracted for, or taken by the LUMP.

~Lumper~, a contractor. On the river more especially a person who contracts to deliver a ship laden with timber.

~Lumper~, a low thief who haunts wharves and docks, and robs vessels, also a person who sells old goods as new.

~Lumpy~, intoxicated. Also used to signify _enceinte_.

~Lunan~, a girl.—_Gipsy._

~Lurch~, a term at the game of cribbage. A is said to LURCH B when the former attains the end, or sixty-first hole, of the board before the latter has pegged his thirty-first hole; or, in more familiar words, before B has turned the corner. A LURCH sometimes, and then only by agreement, counts as a double game or rub.

~Lurk~, a sham, swindle, or representation of feigned distress. An imposition of any kind is a LURK.

~Lurker~, an impostor who travels the country with false certificates of fires, shipwrecks, &c. Also, termed a SILVER BEGGAR, which _see_.

~Lush~, intoxicating drinks of all kinds, but generally used for beer. It is generally allowed, as has been stated, that LUSH and its derivatives claim Lushington, the brewer, as sponsor.

~Lush~, to drink, or get drunk.

~Lush-crib~, a public-house.

~Lushington~, a drunkard, or one who continually soaks himself with lush. Some years since there was a LUSHINGTON CLUB in Bow Street, Covent Garden.

~Lushy~, intoxicated. Johnson says, “opposite to pale,” so red with drink. He must, however, have been wrong, as the foregoing derivation shows.

~Lylo~, come hither.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Lynch-law~, summary punishment. From an American judge famous for hanging first and trying afterwards.

~Mab~, a cab, or hackney-coach.

~Mace~, to sponge, swindle, or beg, in a polite way: “give it him (a shopkeeper) on the MACE,” _i.e._, obtain goods on credit and never pay for them; also termed “striking the MACE.”

~Mace~, to welsh, to obtain money without any expectation of being able to pay or intention of paying.

~Maceman~, or MACER, a welcher, magsman, or general swindler; a “street-mugger.”

~Madza~, half. _Italian_, MEZZA. This word enters into combination with various cant phrases, mainly taken from the _Lingua Franca_, as MADZA CAROON, half-a-crown, two-and-sixpence; MADZA SALTEE, a halfpenny [_see_ SALTEE]; MADZA POONA, half-a-sovereign; MADZA ROUND THE BULL, half a pound of steak, &c. This word is, in street phraseology, invariably pronounced MEDZER.

~Mag~, a halfpenny.—_Ancient Cant_, MAKE. MEGS were formerly guineas.—_B. M. Carew._ MAKE, the old form, is still used by schoolboys in Scotland. “Not a blessed MAG!” would be the phrase of a cadger down on his luck to express his penniless state.

~Mag~, literary and printers’ slang for magazine.

~Mag~, to talk; hence MAGPIE. To MAG in thieves’ slang is to talk well and persuasively.

~Maggoty~, fanciful, fidgety. Whims and fancies were formerly termed MAGGOTS, from the popular belief that a maggot in the brain was the cause of any odd notion or caprice a person might exhibit. Deer are sometimes found to have maggots in their brains, which, perhaps, accounts for the origin of the term.

~Magsman~, a street swindler, who watches for countrymen and “gullible” persons, and persuades them out of their possessions. MAGSMEN are wonderful actors. Their work is done in broad daylight, without any stage accessories; and often a wink, a look, or a slip of the tongue would betray their confederacy. Their ability and perseverance are truly worthy of a better cause. MAGSMEN are very often men of superior education. Those who “work” the tidal trains and boats are often faultlessly dressed and highly accomplished.

~Mahcheen~, a merchant. Chinese pronunciation of the English word.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Mahogany~, “to have one’s feet under another man’s MAHOGANY,” to sit at his table, be supported on other than one’s own resources; “amputate your MAHOGANY,” _i.e._, go away, elaboration of “cut your stick.”

~Mahogany flat~, a bug.

~Mail~, to post a letter; “this screeve is mailed by a sure hand.”

~Main-toby~, the highway, or the main road. _See_ TOBY.

~Make~, any one is said to be “on the MAKE” who asks too high a price for his goods, or endeavours in any way to overreach.

~Make~, to steal, a successful theft or swindle. A man on the look-out for swindling opportunities is said to be “on the MAKE.”

~Make tracks~, an Americanism synonymous with skedaddle; to make oneself scarce.

~Make-up~, personal appearance.—_Theatrical._

~Makings~, materials. A man is often said to have the MAKINGS of a good politician (or whatever he may aspire to be) in him, if they were but properly applied.

~Malapropism~, an ignorant, vulgar misapplication of language, so named from Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Sheridan’s famous comedy of the _Rivals_. Mrs. Partington afterwards succeeded to the mantle of Mrs. Malaprop; but the phrase Partingtonism is as yet uncoined, for the simple reason that Mrs. Malaprop was the original, Mrs. Partington the imitation.

~Malley~, a gardener.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Manablins~, broken victuals.

~Man a-hanging~, a man in difficulties. _See_ HANGING.

~Mandozy~, a term of endearment among East-end Jews; probably from the valiant fighter named Mendoza.

~Mang~, to talk.—_Scotch._

~Man-handle~, to use a person roughly, as to take him prisoner, turn him out of a room, or give him a beating.

~Man in the moon~, the gentleman who is supposed to find the “pieces” to pay election expenditure and electors’ expenses, so long as the latter vote his way. _See_ ELECTION INQUIRIES.

~Marbles~, furniture, movables; “money and MARBLES,” cash and personal effects.

~Marchioness~, a little, dirty, old-fashioned maid-of-all-work; a title now in regular use, but derived from the remarkable character in the _Old Curiosity Shop_.

~Mare’s nest~, a supposed discovery of marvels, which turn out no marvels at all; from a story similar to that about the cock neighing. Three Cockneys, out ruralizing, had determined to find out something about nests. Accordingly, when they ultimately came upon a dungheap, they judged by the signs therein that it must be a MARE’S NEST, especially as they could see the mare close handy. An old preacher in Cornwall up to very lately employed a different simile, as, “It’s like a cow calving up in a tree.”

~Marine~, or MARINE RECRUIT, an empty bottle. This expression having once been used in the presence of an officer of marines, he was at first inclined to take it as an insult, until some one adroitly appeased his wrath by remarking that no offence could be meant, as all that it could possibly imply was, “one who had done his duty, and was ready to do it again.”

~Mark~, to make one’s MARK is to achieve a success literary, artistic, or otherwise. Men of eminence are said to leave their MARKS on the earth’s surface. An American poet has described this ambitious, albeit somewhat rare, proceeding as leaving “footprints on the sands of time.”

~Marketeer~, a betting man who devotes himself, by means of special information, to the study of favourites, and the diseases incident to that condition of equine life. The MARKETEER is the principal agent in all milking and knocking-out arrangements.

~Market-horse~, a horse simply kept in the betting-lists for the purpose of being betted against.

~Marplot~, an officious bungler, who spoils everything he interferes with.

~Marriage lines~, a marriage certificate.—_Provincial._

~Marrow~, a mate, a fellow-workman, a pitman who works in a “shift” with another.—_Northumberland and Durham._

~Marrow-bones~, the knees; “I’ll bring him down upon his MARROW BONES,” _i.e._, I’ll make him bend his knees as he does to the Virgin Mary. Supposed to be from Mary Bones, an objectionable term used by the first Protestants in reference to the supposed adoration of the Virgin Mary by Catholics.

~Marrowskying.~ _See_ MEDICAL GREEK.

~Marry~, a very old term of asseveration, originally (in Popish times) a mode of swearing by the Virgin Mary; _q.d._, by Mary.

~Martingale~, a gambling term, which means the doubling of a stake every time you lose; so that when you win once you win back all that you have lost. So called from the fact that, as in all fair games you must win once, you have a safe hold of fortune. The difficulty is to obtain a bank large enough to do this effectively, or having the bank to find any one who will follow you far enough, in a fair game.

~Mary Ann~, the title of the dea ex machinâ evolved from trades-unionism at Sheffield, to the utter destruction of recalcitrant grinders. She is supposed to do all the “blow-ups,” steal all the bands, and otherwise terrorize over victims of the union.

~Marygold~, one million sterling. _See_ PLUM.

~Maskee~, never mind, no consequence.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Massacre of the innocents~, when the leader of the House of Commons goes through the doleful operation of devoting to extinction a number of useful measures at the end of the session, for want of time to pass them. _Vide Times_, 20th July, 1859: Mr. C. Foster, on altering the time of the legislative sessions.—_Parliamentary Slang._

~Master of the Mint~, a gardener.

~Master of the Rolls~, a baker.

~Mate~, the term a coster or low person applies to a friend, partner, or companion; “me and my MATE did so and so,” is a common phrase with a low Londoner. Originally a _sea term_.

~Matey~, a labourer in one of Her Majesty’s dockyards. Common elaboration of the word MATE.

~Maudlin~, Magdalen College, Oxford. This is the old English pronunciation of the word.

~Mauley~, a fist, that with which one strikes as with a mall.—_Pugilistic._

~Mauley~, a signature, from MAULEY, a fist; “put your fist to it,” is sometimes said by a tradesman when desiring a fellow-trader to put his signature to a bill or note.

~Maund~, to beg; “MAUNDERING on the fly,” begging of people in the streets.—_Old Cant._ MAUNG, to beg, is a term in use amongst the gipsies, and may also be found in the Hindoo vocabulary. MAUND, however, is pure Anglo-Saxon, from MAND, a basket. Compare BEG, which is derived from BAG—a curious parallel.

~Maw~, the mouth; “hold your MAW,” cease talking.

~Mawworm~, a hypocrite of the most unpleasant kind. From Bickerstaff’s play of _The Hypocrite_. Originally a MAWWORM was a worm in the stomach, the thread worm.

~Max~, gin; MAX upon tick, gin obtained upon credit.

~Mazarine~, the platform beneath the stage in large theatres. Probably corruption of _Italian_, MEZZANINO.

~M. B. coat~, (_i.e._, Mark of the Beast,) a name given to the long surtout worn by some of the clergy,—a modern Puritan form of abuse, said to have been accidentally disclosed to a High Church customer by a tailor’s orders to his foreman.

~Mealy-mouthed~, soft-spoken, plausible, deceitful. A specious liar is said to be MEALY-MOUTHED.

~Mean white~, a term of contempt among negroes, in the old slavery days, for white men without landed property. A white man in the Southern States had no _locus standi_ unless he possessed property, and the blackest of niggers would have felt insulted at any “poor white trash” claiming to be “a man and brother.”

~Measley~, mean, miserable-looking, “seedy;” “what a MEASLEY-looking man!” _i.e._, what a wretched, unhappy fellow.

~Medical Greek~, the slang used by medical students at the hospitals. At the London University they have a way of disguising English, described by Albert Smith as the Gower Street Dialect, which consists in transposing the initials of words, _e.g._, “poke a smipe”—smoke a pipe; “flutter-by”—butterfly, &c. This disagreeable nonsense, which has not even the recommendation of a little ability in its composition, is often termed Marrowskying. _See_ GREEK, ST. GILES’S GREEK, or the “_Ægidiac_” dialect, Language of ZIPH, &c.

~Meisensang~, a missionary, Chinese pronunciation of the English word.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Menagerie~, the orchestra of a theatre.—_Theatrical._

~Menavelings~, odd money remaining after the daily accounts are made up at a railway booking-office,—usually divided among the clerks. _See_ OVERS and SHORTS.

~Men of Kent~, men born in that portion of the “garden of England” which lies east of the Medway, as distinguished from Kentish men born the other side. The MEN OF KENT are entitled to the benefit of the old laws of the county, that of gavelkind particularly.

~Merkin~, a term usually applied to a woman’s privities. Originally false hair for those parts.

~Merry Dun of Dover~, a large ship figuring in sailors’ yarns. She was so large that when passing through the Straits of Dover her flying jib-boom knocked down Calais steeple; while, at the same time, the fly of her ensign swept a flock of sheep off Dover cliffs. She was so lofty that a boy who attempted to go to her mast-head found himself a grey old man when he reached the deck again. This yarn is founded on a story in the Scandinavian mythology. There is also a legend among sailors of the gallant Thunderbomb, which had “ninety-nine decks and no bottom.”

~Mesopotamia~, a name given to Eaton Square and neighbourhood when first built. This part was also called Cubitopolis.—_Fashionable slang._