Part 26

~Namby-pamby~, particular, over-nice, effeminate. This was possibly of Pope’s invention, and first applied by him to the affected short-lined verses addressed by Ambrose Phillips to Lord Carteret’s infant children. _See Johnson’s Life of Pope._

~Nammus~, or NAMOUS, to be off, to get away; “let’s NAMMUS, somebody’s coming.” _See_ VAMOS.

~Nanny-shop~, a disreputable house.

~Nantee~, not any, or “I have none.” NANTEE also means “shut up!” or “leave off!” _Italian_, NIENTE, nothing. _See_ DINARLY.—_Lingua Franca._

~Nantee palaver~, no conversation, _i.e._, hold your tongue. Very often in this sense also shortened to NANTEE only. Originally _Lingua Franca_, but now general.

~Nap~, or NAB, to take, steal, or receive; “you’ll NAP it,” _i.e._, you will catch a beating.—_North_; also _Old Cant_.

~Nap~, to break, or rap with a hammer. _See_ KNAP.—_North._

~Nap~, or NAPPER, a hat. From “nab,” a hat, cap, or head.—_Old Cant._

~Nap nix~, a person who works at his trade, and occasionally goes on the stage to act minor parts without receiving any pay. The derivation is obvious. _See_ NAP and NIX, _i.e._, NICHTS.

~Nap one’s bib~, to cry, shed tears, or carry one’s point.

~Nap the regulars~, to divide the booty.

~Nap the teaze~, to be privately whipped in prison.

~Nark~, a person in the pay of the police; a common informer; one who gets his living by laying traps for publicans, &c. Sometimes called a “nose.”

~Nark~, to watch, or look after; “NARK the titter,” watch the girl.

~Narp~, a shirt.—_Scotch._

~Narrow~, mean, sordid.—_Scotch._ In common slang, dull of comprehension, as distinguished from wide awake.

~Nasty~, ill-tempered, cross-grained. “He was very NASTY,” _i.e._, he was ill-humoured.

~Nation~, or TARNATION, very, or exceedingly. Corruption of damnation.

~Natty~, pretty, neat, tidy.—_Old._

~Natural~, an idiot, a simpleton. Sometimes HALF-NATURAL.

~Navvy~, an excavator employed in making railways, canals, &c. Originally slang, but now a recognised term. Short for navigator, a term humorously applied to excavators when their chief work was that of cutting and banking canals, making dykes to rivers, &c.

~N. C.~, “enough said,” being the initials of NUF CED. A certain theatrical manager spells, it is said, in this style.

~Near~, mean and stingy.

~Neardy~, a person in authority over another; master, parent, or foreman.—_North._

~Neat~, unmixed with water. “Two half goes of gin, one NEAT, the other cold,” meaning one as drawn, the other diluted with cold water. The Americans use the word “straight” instead of NEAT: “I’ll take mine straight.”

~Neck~, to swallow. Neck-oil, drink of any kind.

~Neck and crop~, entirely, completely; “he chuck’d him NECK AND CROP out of window.”

~Neck and neck.~ Horses run NECK AND NECK in a race when they are so perfectly equal that one cannot be said to be before the other.

~Neck or nothing~, desperate. Originally a steeplechase phrase.

~Neck beef~, a synonym for coarseness. “As coarse as neck ends of beef.”

~Neckinger~, a cravat. _See_ MUCKENGER.

~Ned~, a guinea. HALF-NED, half-a-guinea.

~Neddy~, a considerable quantity, as “a NEDDY of fruit,” “a NEDDY of fish,” &c.—_Irish slang._

~Neddy~, a donkey. On Sunday, when a costermonger, if at all well to do, takes his family out for an airing in his “shallow,” the donkey is called “Eddard.”

~Neddy~, a life preserver. Possibly contraction of Kennedy, the name of the first man, it is said in St. Giles’s, who had his head broken by a poker.

~Ned Stokes~, the four of spades.—_North Hants._ _See Gentleman’s Magazine_ for 1791, p. 141.

~Needful~, money, cash; the “one thing NEEDFUL” for the accomplishment of most pet designs.

~Needle~, to annoy. To “cop the NEEDLE” is to become vexed or annoyed.

~Needy mizzler~, a shabby person; a tramp who runs away without paying for his lodging.

~Never trust me~, an ordinary phrase with low Londoners, and common in Shakspeare’s time, _vide Twelfth Night_. It is generally used instead of an oath, calling vengeance on the asseverator, if such-and-such does not come to pass.

~Newgate fringe~, or FRILL, the collar of beard worn under the chin; so called from its occupying the position of the rope when Jack Ketch operates. Another name for it is a TYBURN COLLAR.

~Newgate Knocker~, the term given to the lock of hair which costermongers and thieves usually twist back towards the ear. The shape is supposed to resemble the knocker on the prisoners’ door at Newgate—a resemblance that carries a rather unpleasant suggestion to the wearer. Sometimes termed a COBBLER’S KNOT, or COW-LICK.

~Newmarket~, in tossing, when the game is “two out of three,” that is, when he who gains the first two tosses wins. When the first toss is decisive, the game is termed “sudden death.”

~Nibble~, to take, or steal. NIBBLER, a petty thief.

~Nib-cove~, a gentleman. NIBSOMEST CRIBS, best or gentlemen’s houses.—_Beggar’s Cant._

~Nib-like~, gentlemanly.

~Nibs~, self. His NIBS, means any one who may be referred to. As, “I told his NIBS,” or “stag his NIBS.” “Your NIBS,” yourself.

~Nick~, or OLD NICK, the devil.—_Scandinavian_, KNICKAR, one of the names of Odin, as the destroying or evil principle.

~Nick~, to hit the mark; “he’s NICKED it,” _i.e._, won his point. Also to steal. To be “out on the NICK,” is to be out thieving. Sometimes described as being “on the pinch.”

~Nick-nack~, a trifle.—Originally _Cant_.

~Niggling~, trifling, or idling; taking short steps in walking.—_North._

~Nightcap~, a glass of “warm with” taken the last thing at night.

~Night-hunter~, a poacher.—_North._ Also a London prostitute. Sometimes in the latter capacity varied to night-hawk.

~Nil~, half; half profits, &c.

~Nilly-willy~, _i.e._, NILL YE, WILL YE, whether you will or no; a familiar version of the _Latin_, NOLENS VOLENS. Generally written now, WILLY-NILLY.

~Nimming~, stealing. _Old English_, NIM, to take. Motherwell, the Scotch poet, thought the old word NIM (to snatch or pick up) was derived from _nam, nam_, the tiny words or cries of an infant, when eating anything which pleases its little palate. A negro proverb has the word:—

“Buckra man NAM crab, Cram NAM buckra man.”

Or, in the buckra man’s language—

“White man eat [or steal] the crab, And then crab eat the white man.”

Shakspeare evidently had the word NIM in his head when he portrayed Nym.

~Nincompoop~, a fool, a hen-pecked husband, a “Jerry Sneak.”—Corruption of _non compos mentis_.

~Nine corns~, a pipeful of tobacco.

~Ninepence~, “nice as NINEPENCE,” all right, right to a nicety. A correspondent says:—“This most undoubtedly should be NINE-PINS. For at the game of that name, in fairness to both parties, the nine pins must always be set up with great accuracy. There is no nicety in NINEPENCE!” Evidently this correspondent does not know how nice it is to have ninepence, after being without money. At all events the phrase _is_ “nice as NINEPENCE.”

~Nines~, “dressed up to the NINES,” in a showy or _recherché_ manner. Up to the NINES, up to the dodges and “wrinkles” of life.

~Nine Shillings~, cool audacity; most probably derived from the _French_, NONCHALANCE.

~Ning-nang~, horse-coupers’ term for a worthless thoroughbred.

~Ninnyhammer~, a foolish, ignorant person. Generally shortened to NINNY. NINNY is also short for nincompoop.

~Nip~, to steal, to take up quickly. _See_ NAP and NIB.

~Nipcheese~, a purser.—_Old Sea Slang._

~Nipper~, a sharp lad. Originally a superior grade among cut-purses.

~Nix~, nothing. _German_, NICHTS. _See_ MUNGARLY.

~Nix!~ the signal word of schoolboys and workpeople to each other that the master, or other person in authority, is approaching.

~Nix my dolly~, once a very popular slang song, beginning—

“In a box of a stone jug I was born, Of a hempen widow all forlorn; And my old dad, as I’ve heard say, Was a famous merchant in capers gay; NIX MY DOLLY, pals, fake away!”

“Capers” of course here refers to the mode of the old gentleman’s decease.

~Niz-priz~, a writ of nisi-prius.—_Legal._

~Nizzie~, a fool, a coxcomb.—_Old Cant, vide Triumph of Wit_.

~Nob~, the head.—_Pugilistic_; “bob a NOB,” a shilling a head. _Ancient Cant_, NEB. NOB is an early English word, and is used in the romance of _Kynge Alinaunder_ (thirteenth century) for a head; originally, no doubt, the same as _knob_.

~Nob~, a person of high position, a “swell,” a NOBleman,—of which word it may be an abbreviation, or of NOBILIS. _See_ SNOB.

~Nob.~ When the knave of trumps is held at the game of cribbage, the holder counts “one for his NOB.”

~Nobba~, nine. _Italian_, NOVE; _Spanish_, NOVA,—the _b_ and _v_ being interchangeable, as in sa_b_e and sa_vv_ey. Slang introduced by the “organ-grinders” from Italy.

~Nobba saltee~, ninepence. _Lingua Franca_, NOVE SOLDI.

~Nobbing cheat~, the gallows.—_Old Cant._

~Nobbing~, collecting money; “what NOBBINGS?” _i.e._, how much have you got or collected from the crowd? This term is much used by “buskers.”

~Nobble~, to cheat, to overreach; to discover. In the racing world, to “NOBBLE” a horse, is to “get at,” and lame or poison him.

~Nobbler~, a blow on the NOB, a finishing stroke; “that’s a NOBBLER for him,” _i.e._, a settler.—_Pugilistic._

~Nobbler~, a confederate of thimble-riggers and card-sharpers, who plays earnestly, as if a stranger to the “rig,” and thus draws unsuspecting persons into a game. The same as a “bonnet” or “bearer-up.” In the North of England, a low, cunning lawyer.

~Nobby~, or NOBBISH, fine or showy; NOBBILY, showily. _See_ SNOB for derivation.

~No flies~, an emphatic addition made to an assertion for the purpose of giving it weight. It really means “no error” or “no mistake.” Both of them popular; as, “A jolly fine girl, and NO FLIES!”

~No-fly~, artful, designing. Term much used among printers, who shorten it to “N.F.”

~Noli-me-tangere~, the Scotch fiddle, or other contagious disease.

~Non-com~, a non-commissioned officer in the army.

~No odds~, no matter, of no consequence.—_Latimer’s Sermon before Edward VI._

~Nooning~, an interval for rest and refreshment, taken at midday by travellers in hot countries.

~Norfolk-Howards~, bugs; a person named Ephraim Bug some few years back advertised, that for the future he would call himself by the more aristocratic appellation of NORFOLK HOWARD.

~North~, cunning. The inhabitants of Yorkshire and the Northern counties are supposed, like the canny Scots, to get the better of other people in dealing; hence the phrase, “He’s too far NORTH for me,” _i.e._, too cunning for me to deal with.

~North country compliment~, to give or offer anything that is not wanted by either giver or receiver is to pass a NORTH COUNTRY COMPLIMENT.

~Norwicher~, more than one’s share; said of a person who leaves less than half the contents of a tankard for his companion. In what way the term originated, or why Norwich was selected before any other city is not known. Most likely from the slanders which the inhabitants of one town are always inventing about their neighbours.

~Nose~, a thief who turns informer; a paid spy; generally called a policeman’s NOSE; “on the NOSE,” on the look-out.

~Nose~, to give information to the police, to turn approver.

~Nose~, “to pay through the NOSE,” to pay an extravagant price.

~Nose-bag~, a visitor at a watering-place, or house of refreshment, who carries his own victuals. Term applied by waiters.

~Nose ’em~, or FOGUS, tobacco. NOSE ’EM is but a contraction of the rhyming slang, which _see_.

~Nose-ender~, a straight blow delivered full on the nasal promontory.

~Nose in the manger~, TO PUT ONE’S, to sit down to eat. To “put on the nose-bag” is to eat hurriedly, or to eat while continuing at work.

~Nose out of joint~, TO PUT ONE’S; to supplant, supersede, or mortify a person by excelling him.

~Noser~, a hard blow, leading to a bloody or contused nose.—_Pugilistic._

~Notional~, imaginative, full of ideas. Used in America to express a wife’s imaginations with regard to her husband’s doings.

~Nouse~, comprehension, perception.—_Old_, apparently from the _Greek_, νοῦς. _Gaelic_ and _Irish_, NOS, knowledge, perception.

~Nowhere~, horses not placed in a race—that are neither first, second, nor third—are said to be NOWHERE, especially when this lack of position happens to favourites.

~Number of his mess~, when a man dies in the army or navy, he is said to “lose the NUMBER OF HIS MESS.”

~Nurse~, a curious term applied to competition in omnibuses. Two omnibuses are placed on the road to NURSE, or take care of, each opposition “bus,” one before, the other behind. Of course the central or NURSED bus has very little chance, unless it happens to be a favourite with the public. Recent legislation and tramways have done much to do away with NURSING. NURSE also means to cheat or swindle; trustees are sometimes said to NURSE property, _i.e._, gradually eat it up themselves.

~Nut~, the head, in pugilistic slang. Used as an exclamation at a fight, it means to strike on the head. In tossing it is a direction to hide the head; to be “off one’s NUT,” to be crazed or idiotic.

~Nut-cut~, roguish, mischievous. A good-natured term of reproach.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Nuts~, to be NUTS on anything or person is to be pleased with or fond of it or him; a self-satisfied man is said to be NUTS on himself. NUTTED, taken in by a man who professed to be NUTS on you.

~Nux~, the “plant,” or object in view. “Stoll up to the NUX?” “Do you fully comprehend what is wanted?”—_North Country Cant._

~Oaf~, a lumbering, awkward fellow.

~Oak~, the outer door of college rooms; to “sport one’s OAK,” to be “not at home” to visitors. _See_ SPORT.—_University._

~Oar~, “to put in an OAR,” to interfere.

“I put my OAR in no man’s boat.”—_Thackeray._

~Oat~, an atom. Probable corruption of iota, or perhaps from the small size of an oat. “I never got an OAT of it,” I never received the smallest portion.

~Oat-stealer~, an ostler.

~Obfuscated~, intoxicated.

~Obliquitous~, oblivious of distinction between right and wrong.—_American._

~Obstropolous~, Cockney corruption of obstreperous.

~Ochre~, money, generally applied to gold, for a very obvious reason.

~O’clock~, “like ONE O’CLOCK,” a favourite comparison with the lower orders, implying briskness; otherwise “like winkin’.” “To know what’s O’CLOCK” is to be wide-awake, sharp, and experienced.

~Odd man out~, a street or public-house game at tossing. The number of players is three or more. Each tosses up a coin, and if two come down head, and one comes tail, or _vice versâ_, the ODD MAN loses or wins, as may have been agreed upon. Frequently used to victimize a “flat.” If all be alike, then the toss goes for nothing, and the coppers are again “skied.” It is easy for two men to arrange matters beforehand at this game, and so swindle a third.

~Odd man~, a man who trains in company with a boat’s crew, so that in the event of any one falling ill the seat will be fairly occupied.

~Odds~, a phrase equivalent to “consequence;” “what’s the ODDS?” _i.e._, what is the expected result? “It’s no ODDS,” _i.e._, of no consequence. ODDS, in sporting phraseology, refers to the proportions or differences of a bet. One bookmaker will lay ODDS of “six to one” against such a horse winning; whilst another, more speculative, or in the receipt of a first-rate “tip” (information about the horse in question) will lay “eight,” or even “ten to one.”

~Od rot it~ (_Colman’s Broad Grins_), DRAT IT, OD’S BLOOD, and all other exclamations commencing with OD, are nothing but softened or suppressed oaths. OD is a corruption of GOD, and DRAT of ROT.

~Off and on~, vacillating; “an OFF AND ON kind of a chap,” one who is always undecided.

~Off at the head~, crazy.—_Oxfordshire._

~Off one’s chump.~ To be crazy is to be OFF ONE’S CHUMP; this is varied by the word CHUMPY. A mild kind of lunatic is also said to be “off his head,” which means of course exactly the same as the first phrase.

~Off one’s feed.~ To be unable to eat is to be OFF ONE’S FEED. Originally stable slang.

~Off the horn~, a term used in reference to very hard steak, which is fancifully said to be OFF THE HORN.

~Office~, “to give the OFFICE,” to give a hint dishonestly to a confederate, thereby enabling him to win a game or bet, the profits being shared. Also in sporting phraseology to give any information worth having.

~Offish~, distant, not familiar. Corruption of STAND-OFFISH.

~Ogle~, to look, or reconnoitre.

~Ogles~, eyes.—_Old Cant. French_, ŒIL.

~Oil of palms~, or PALM OIL, money.

~Ointment~, medical student slang for butter.

~O. K.~, a matter to be O. K. (OLL KORRECT, _i.e._, all correct), must be on the “square,” and perfectly in order. This is an Americanism, and is derived from the initials O. K., said to have been marked on a document by an official to signify that all was right and proper.

~Old boots~, a simile as general in its application as it is irrelevant. “Like OLD BOOTS” means like anything. “As cheeky as OLD BOOTS;” “As quick as OLD BOOTS,” seem a little more reasonable, new boots being somewhat unfavourable to speedy locomotion.

~Old dog~, a knowing blade, an experienced person. Butler uses the phrase, _Hudibras_, part ii. canto iii. 208, where it was said of Sidrophel, “And was OLD DOG at physiology.” An Irish proverb says, “OLD DOG for hard road,” meaning that it requires an experienced person to execute a difficult undertaking.

~Old gentleman~, the devil. Also a card almost imperceptibly longer than the rest of the pack, used by sharpers for the purpose of cheating.

~Old gooseberry~ (_see_ GOOSEBERRY), OLD HARRY (_Old Hairy_), OLD SCRATCH, all synonyms for the devil.

~Old gown~, smuggled tea.

~Old horse~, salt junk, or beef.—_Sea._

~Old hoss~, a term of endearment, originally an Americanism, but now in common use here among friends.

~Old Lady in Threadneedle Street~, the Bank of England.

~Old man~, in American merchant ships, the master. The phrase is becoming common in English ships.

~Old salt~, a thorough sailor.

~Old Tom~, extra strong gin; sometimes termed CAT’S WATER. Various reasons are given for the use of the words OLD TOM. The distillers have the sign of a tom cat on their illuminated placards. The origin of the phrase is, however, in the fact that the managing clerk of a once celebrated “gin-spinning” firm, who was known as OLD TOM, used to keep a special bottle of extra good stuff with which to regale customers when they settled their accounts. To get a drink of OLD TOM’S was then a great favour. Gradually the title became popular as representing very good strong gin.

~Oliver~, the moon; “OLIVER don’t widdle,” _i.e._, the moon does not shine. _Nearly obsolete._

~Ollapod~, a country apothecary. From George Coleman’s comedy of _The Poor Gentleman_.

~Omee~, a master or landlord; “the OMEE of the carsey’s a nark on the pitch,” the master of the house will not let us perform. _Italian_, UOMO, a man; “UOMO DELLA CASA,” the master of the house. _Latin_, HOMO.—_Lingua Franca._

~Omnium gatherum~, an indiscriminate collection of articles; a numerous and by no means select assemblage.

~On~, “to be ON,” in public-house or vulgar parlance, is synonymous with getting “tight” or tipsy; “it’s St. Monday with him, I see he’s ON again,” _i.e._, drunk as usual, or on the road to it. “I’m ON” also expresses a person’s acceptance of an offered bet. To GET ON a horse or a man is to make bets on it or him. “Try it ON,” a defiant challenge to a person.

~On the fly~, getting one’s living by thieving or other illegitimate means; the phrase is applied to men the same as “on the loose” is to women. ON THE FLY also means on the drink.

~On the loose~, obtaining a living by prostitution; in reality, on the streets. The term is applied to females only, excepting in the case of “sprees,” when men carousing are sometimes said to be ON THE LOOSE.

~On the nose~, on the watch or look-out. _See_ NOSE.

~On the shelf~, transported. With old maids it has another and very different meaning.

~On the tiles~, out all night “on the spree,” or carousing,—in allusion to the London cats on their amatory excursions. _See_ CATERWAULING.

~One-er~, that which stands for ONE, a blow that requires no repeating. In _The Old Curiosity Shop_, the “Marchioness” tells Dick Swiveller that “her missus is a ONE-ER”—there a variation of “stunner.”

~One in ten~, a parson. In allusion to the tithing system.

~Onion~, a watch-seal.

~O. P.~ Publishers’ reply to an inquiry for a book or paper that is OUT OF PRINT.

~Open the ball~, to commence anything.

~Oracle~, “to work the ORACLE,” to plan, manœuvre, to succeed by a wily stratagem.

~Orate~, an Americanism, which means, to speak in public, or make an oration.

~Organ-grinder~, an itinerant who is supposed to “GRIND” music out of a barrel-organ.

~Originator~, an inventor of plans for the formation of joint-stock companies. The originator submits his schemes to the promoter, who accepts or rejects them.

~Otter~, eightpence. _Italian_, OTTO, eight.—_Lingua Franca._

~Ottomy~, a thin man, a skeleton, a dwarf. Vulgar pronunciation of ANATOMY. Shakspeare has ATOMY.

~Out~, a dram glass. These glasses are two-OUT (half-quartern), three-OUT, and four-OUT. An _habitué_ of a gin-shop, desirous of treating a brace of friends, calls for “a quartern of gin and three OUTS,” by which he means three glasses which will exactly contain the quartern. Really, the word glasses is understood. The man actually means, and one or more three-OUT glasses.

~Out~, in round games, where several play, and there can be but one loser, the winners in succession STAND OUT, while the others PLAY OFF.

~Out and out~, prime, excellent, of the first quality; beyond measure. OUT-AND-OUTER, one who is of an OUT-AND-OUT description, “up” to anything.

An ancient MS. has this couplet, which shows the antiquity of the phrase:—

“The Kyng was good alle aboute, And she was wycked OUTE AND OUTE.”

~Outcry~, an auction.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Outing~, a day’s holiday. The Oxford and Cambridge boatrace, the Derby, and other events of a like character, are each said to be simply excuses to the Cockneys for a day’s OUTING.

~Out of collar~, out of place,—in allusion to servants. When in place, the term is IN COLLAR. Most likely from “head in the COLLAR,” said of horses when hard at work.

~Out on the loose~, “on the spree,” in search of adventures. _See_ ON THE LOOSE.

~Out on the pickaroon.~ PICARONE is Spanish for a thief, but this phrase does not necessarily mean anything dishonest, but is often used to mean readiness for anything in the way of excitement. It also means to be in search of anything profitable, without much care as to honesty or otherwise.

~Outsider~, a person who does not habitually bet, or is not admitted to the “ring,” a duffer or good-for-nothing fellow. Also, a horse whose name does not appear among the “favourites.”—_Sporting._

~Over!~ or OVER THE LEFT, _i.e._, the left shoulder—a common exclamation of disbelief in what is being narrated,—sometimes implying that the results of a proposed plan will be OVER THE LEFT, _i.e._, in the wrong direction, loss instead of gain.

~Over~, generally used in connexion with come, as, “He came it rather strong OVER me,” _i.e._, tried to intimidate or compel me. The same phrase would also be used to imply that an excess of flattery or praise was being employed for a similar purpose, but that the adulation was being “laid on a little too thick” to be considered genuine. Also used thus sometimes: “You mustn’t come Shakspeare OVER me,” _i.e._, “you mustn’t assume an air of immeasurable literary superiority OVER me.” “You mustn’t come Rothschild OVER me,” &c.