Part 41
An excellent exponent of the false and forced “high life” which was so popular during the minority of George IV. The farce had a run of a hundred nights, or more, and was a general favourite for years. It abounds in Cant, and the language of “gig,” as it was then often termed.
Mornings at Bow Street, by T. Wright, 12mo, _with Illustrations by George Cruikshank_. _Tegg_, 1838.
In this work a few etymologies of Slang words are attempted.
New Canting Dictionary, 12mo. N. D.
A copy of this work is described in _Rodd’s Catalogue of Elegant Literature_, 1845, part iv., No. 2128, with manuscript notes and additions in the autograph of Isaac Reed, price £1. 8_s._
~New Dictionary~ of the Terms, Ancient and Modern, of the Canting Crew in its several tribes of Gypsies, Beggars, Thieves, Cheats, &c., with an addition of some _Proverbs, Phrases, Figurative Speeches, &c._, by B. E., GENT., 12mo. N. D. [1710.]
Afterwards issued under the title of _Bacchus and Venus_, 1737, and in 1754 as the _Scoundrel’s Dictionary_.
~New Dictionary~ of all the Cant and Flash Languages used by every class of offenders, from a Lully Prigger to a High Tober Gloak, small 8vo, pp. 62. 179-.
Mentioned by John Bee.
~Notes and Queries.~ The invaluable Index to this most useful periodical may be consulted with advantage by the seeker after etymologies of Slang and Cant words.
~Parker.~ High and Low Life, A View of Society in, being the Adventures in England, Ireland, &c., of Mr. G. Parker, _A Stage Itinerant_, 2 vols. in 1, thick 12mo. _Printed for the Author_, 1781.
A curious work, containing many Cant words, with 100 orders of rogues and swindlers.
~Parker’s~ (Geo.) Life’s Painter of Variegated Characters, with a Dictionary of Cant Language and Flash Songs, to which is added a Dissertation on Freemasonry, _portrait_, 8vo. 1789.
~Pegge’s~ (Samuel) Anecdotes of the English Language, chiefly regarding the Local Dialect of London and Environs, 8vo. 1803-41.
~Perry’s~ (William) London Guide and Stranger’s Safeguard against Cheats, Swindlers, and Pickpockets, by a Gentleman who has made the Police of the Metropolis an object of inquiry twenty-two years (no wonder when the author was in prison a good portion of that time!) 1818.
Contains a dictionary of Slang and Cant words.
~Phillip’s~ New World of Words, folio. 1696.
~Pickering’s~ (F.) Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and Phrases which have been supposed to be peculiar to the United States of America, to which is prefixed an Essay on the present state of the English Language in the United States, 8vo. _Boston_, 1816.
The remark made upon _Bartlett’s Americanisms_ applies equally to this work.
~Picture of the Fancy~, 12mo. 18—.
Contains numerous Slang terms.
~Potter’s~ (H. T., of _Clay, Worcestershire_) New Dictionary of all the Cant and Flash Languages, both ancient and modern, 8vo, pp. 62. 1790.
~Poulter.~ The Discoveries of John Poulter, _alias_ Baxter, 8vo, 48 pages. (1770?)
At pages 42, 43, there is an explanation of the “Language of Thieves, commonly called Cant.”
~Prison-breaker~, The, or the Adventures of John Sheppard, a Farce, 8vo. _London_, 1725.
Contains a Canting song, &c.
~Punch~, or the London Charivari.
Often points out Slang, vulgar, or abused words. It also occasionally employs them in jokes or sketches of character.
~Quarterly Review~, vol. x. p. 528.
Gives a paper on Americanisms and Slang phrases.
~Randall’s~ (Jack, the Pugilist, formerly of the “Hole in the Wall,” Chancery Lane) Diary of Proceedings at the House of Call for Genius, edited by Mr. Breakwindow, to which are added several of Mr. B.’s minor pieces, 12mo. 1820.
Believed to have been written by Thomas Moore. The verses are mostly parodies of popular authors, and abound in the Slang of pugilism, and the phraseology of the fast life of the period.
~Randall~ (Jack), a Few Selections from his Scrap-book; to which are added Poems on the late Fight for the Championship, 12mo. 1822.
Frequently quoted by Moore in _Tom Crib’s Memorial_.
~Scoundrel’s Dictionary;~ or, an Explanation of the Cant Words used by Thieves, Housebreakers, Street-robbers, and Pickpockets about Town, with some curious Dissertations on the Art of Wheedling, &c., the whole printed from a copy taken on one of their gang, in the late scuffle between the watchman and a party of them on Clerkenwell Green, 8vo. 1754.
A reprint of _Bacchus and Venus_, 1737.
~Sharp~ (Jeremy), The Life of an English Rogue, 12mo. 1740.
Includes a “Vocabulary of the Gypsies’ Cant.”
~Sherwood’s~ Gazetteer of Georgia, U.S., 8vo.
Contains a glossary of words, Slang and vulgar, peculiar to the Southern States.
~Smith~ (Capt. Alexander), The Thieves’ Grammar, 12mo, p. 28. 17—.
A copy of this work is in the collection formed by Prince Lucien Bonaparte.
~Smith’s~ (Capt.) Compleat History of the Lives and Robberies of the most Notorious Highwaymen, Footpads, Shoplifters, and Cheats, of both Sexes, in and about London and Westminster, 12mo, vol. i. 1719.
This volume contains “The Thieves’ New Canting Dictionary of the Words, _Proverbs, &c., used by Thieves_.”
~Smith’s~ (Capt.) Thieves’ Dictionary, 12mo. 1724.
~Snowden’s~ Magistrate’s Assistant, and Constable’s Guide, thick small 8vo. 1852.
Gives a description of the various orders of cadgers, beggars, and swindlers, together with a Glossary of the Flash Language.
~Sportsman’s Dictionary~, 4to. 17—.
By an anonymous author. Contains some low sporting terms.
~Stanley’s~ Remedy, or the Way how to Reform Wandring Beggars, Thieves, &c., wherein is shewed that Sodomes Sin of Idleness is the Poverty and the Misery of this Kingdome, 4to. 1646.
This work has an engraving on wood which is said to be the veritable original of Jim Crow.
~Swift’s~ coarser pieces abound in vulgarities and Slang expressions.
~The Triumph of Wit~, or Ingenuity displayed in its Perfection, being the Newest and most Useful Academy, Songs, Art of Love, and the Mystery and Art of Canting, with Poems, Songs, &c., in the Canting Language, 16mo. _J. Clarke_, 1735.
What is generally termed a shilling _Chap Book_.
~The Triumph of Wit~, or the Canting Dictionary, being the Newest and most Useful Academy, containing the Mystery and art of Canting, with the original and present management thereof, and the ends to which it serves and is employed, illustrated with Poems, Songs, and various Intrigues in the Canting Language, with the Explanations, &c., 12mo. _Dublin_, N. D.
A Chap Book of 32 pages, _circa_ 1760.
~The Whole Art Of Thieving~ and Defrauding Discovered: being a Caution to all Housekeepers, Shopkeepers, Salesmen, and others, to guard against Robbers of both Sexes, and the best Methods to prevent their Villanies; to which is added an Explanation of most of the Cant terms in the Thieving Language, 8vo, pp. 46. 1786.
~Thomas~ (I.), My Thought Book, 8vo. 1825.
Contains a chapter on Slang.
~Tom Crib’s~ Memorial to Congress, with a Preface, Notes, and Appendix by one of the Fancy [Tom Moore, the Poet], 12mo. 1819.
A humorous poem, abounding in Slang and pugilistic term, with a burlesque essay on the classic origin of Slang.
~Vacabondes~, the Fraternatye of, as well as of ruflyng Vacabones, as of beggerly, of Women as of Men, of Gyrles as of Boyes, with their proper Names and Qualities, with a Description of the Crafty Company of Cousoners and Shifters, also the XXV. Orders of Knaves; otherwyse called a Quartern of Knaves, confirmed by Cocke Lorell, 8vo. Imprinted at London by John Awdeley, dwellyng in little Britayne strete, without Aldersgate. 1575.
It is stated in _Ames’ Typog. Antiq._, vol. ii. p. 885, that an edition bearing the date 1565 is in existence, and that the compiler was no other than old John Audley, the printer, himself. This conjecture, however, is very doubtful. As stated by Watt, it is more than probable that it was written by Harman, or was taken from his works, in MS. or print.
~Vaux’s~ (Count de, a swindler and pickpocket) Life, written by himself, 2 vols., 12mo, to which is added a Canting Dictionary. 1819.
These Memoirs were suppressed on account of the scandalous passages contained in them.
~Webster’s~ (Noah) Letter to the Hon. John Pickering, on the Subject of his Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and Phrases supposed to be peculiar to the United States, 8vo, pp. 69. _Boston_, 1817.
~Wild~ (Jonathan), History of the Lives and Actions of Jonathan Wild, Thieftaker, Joseph Blake, _alias_ Blueskin, Footpad, and John Sheppard, Housebreaker; together with a Canting Dictionary by Jonathan Wild, _woodcuts_, 12mo. 1750.
~Wilson~ (Professor), contributed various Slang pieces to _Blackwood’s Magazine_; including a Review of Bee’s Dictionary.
~Witherspoon’s~ (Dr., of America,) Essays on Americanisms, Perversions of Language in the United States, Cant phrases, &c., 8vo, in the 4th vol. of his works. _Philadelphia_, 1801.
The earliest work on American vulgarisms. Originally published as a series of Essays, entitled the _Druid_, which appeared in a periodical in 1761.
BALLANTYNE & COMPANY LTD
TAVISTOCK STREET COVENT GARDEN
LONDON
DICTIONARIES
THE READER’S HANDBOOK OF ALLUSIONS, REFERENCES, PLOTS, AND STORIES. By the Rev. E. C. BREWER, LL.D. Crown 8vo, cloth, 3s 6d net.
A DICTIONARY OF MIRACLES: Imitative, Realistic, and Dogmatic. By the Rev. E. C. BREWER, LL.D. Crown 8vo, cloth, 3s 6d net.
WORDS, FACTS, AND PHRASES: A Dictionary of Curious, Quaint, and Odd Matters. By ELIEZER EDWARDS. Crown 8vo, cloth, 3s 6d.
FAMILIAR SHORT SAYINGS OF GREAT MEN: with Historical and Explanatory Notes. By SAMUEL A. BENT, A.M. Crown 8vo, cloth, 7s 6d.
FAMILIAR ALLUSIONS. By WILLIAM A. and CHARLES J. WHEELER. Demy 8vo, cloth, 7s 6d net.
THE SLANG DICTIONARY: Etymological, Historical, and Anecdotal. Crown 8vo, cloth, 6s 6d.
A DICTIONARY OF THE DRAMA. By W. DAVENPORT ADAMS. Vol. I (A to G). Demy 8vo, cloth, 10s 6d net.
London: CHATTO & WINDUS, 111 St. Martin’s Lane, W.C.
* * * * *
Transcriber’s Note:
An advertisement for dictionaries has been moved from the beginning of the text to the end.
The following are used inconsistently in the text:
banknote and bank-note
battles and battells
big-bird and big bird
blackguard and black-guard
boatrace and boat-race
Boozingken and Boozing-Ken
bow-Catcher and bowcatcher
brother-chip and brother-chip
Bubble-and-Squeak and Bubble and Squeak
chamberpot and chamber-pot
cherry-colour and cherry colour
chuck up and chuck-up
coalheaver and coal-heaver
cockshy and cock-shy
cocoanuts and cocoa-nuts
comb cut and comb-cut
coon and ’coon
corner men and corner-men
crabshells and crab shells
cutpurse and cut-purse
daylights and day-light
dead-heat and dead heat
dolly shop and dolly-shop
dunnyken and dunna-ken
everyday and every-day
fagot and faggot
fawney bouncing and fawney-bouncing
fyebuck and fye-buck
halfpence and half-pence
horse chaunter and horse-chaunter
housebreaking and house-breaking
kin-the-lamb and kin the lamb
knobstick and knob-stick
lovelock and love-lock
M. B. and M.B.
M. T. and M.T.
Merry Dun of Dover and merry dun of Dover
mountain pecker and mountain-pecker
necktie and neck-tie
newcomers and new-comers
now-a-days and nowadays
outdoor and out-door
overbearing and over-bearing
overnight and over-night
overreach and over-reach
P. P. and P.P.
parney and parny
percentages and per-centages
pillbox and pill-box
playhouse and play-house
purseproud and purse-proud
racehorse and race-horse
randem and random
reach me downs and reach-me-downs
ringdropping and ring-dropping
schofel and schoful
schoolboys and school-boys
seaport and sea-port
secondhand and second-hand
signpost and sign-post
Soft-soap and soft soap
speechmaking and speech-making
turncoat and turn-coat
turnout and turn-out
W. P. and W.P.
water-bewitched and water bewitched
watercloset and water-closet
wideawake and wide-awake
The following errors in the printed text have been corrected:
advertisement “W.,” changed to “W.”
advertisement “A to G)” changed to “(A to G)”
p. 15 “Bcck” changed to “Beck”
p. 17 “coined money” changed to “coined money.”
p. 29 “‘cribs’’” changed to “‘cribs’””
p. 41 “_Tam O’ Shanter_.”” changed to “_Tam O’ Shanter_.”
p. 68 “on’t—” changed to “on’t”—”
p. 74 “appearance” changed to “appearance.”
p. 74 “I Cor.” changed to “1 Cor.”
p. 82 “Dr” changed to “Dr.”
p. 83 “under-raduates” changed to “under-graduates”
p. 88 “BLUHEN” changed to “BLÜHEN”
p. 89 “ἄσπρόν” changed to “ἄσπρον”
p. 90 “the new police” changed to “the new police.”
p. 91 “belong to you” changed to “belong to you.”
p. 94 “Spit-curl,”” changed to “Spit-curl,”
p. 97 “Rothwalsch” changed to “Rothwälsch”
p. 97 “good fellow;” changed to “good fellow;””
p. 98 “at races” changed to “at races.”
p. 101 “large thick,” changed to “large, thick,”
p. 106 “tumble up,” changed to “tumble up”
p. 107 “contruction” changed to “contraction”
p. 111 “ny temporary” changed to “any temporary”
p. 114 “pay.—ED” changed to “pay.—ED.”
p. 115 “CHEESE your barrikin,”” changed to ““CHEESE your barrikin,””
p. 116 “Derivation obvious” changed to “Derivation obvious.”
p. 118 “and waistcoat” changed to “and waistcoat.”
p. 120 “first-rate” changed to “first-rate.”
p. 128 “Κορινθίαζ εσθαι” changed to “Κορινθιάζεσθαι”
p. 135 “Very often” changed to ““Very often”
p. 136 “Culloden;*” changed to “Culloden;”
p. 137 “CUT ONE’S” CHANGED TO ““CUT ONE’S”
p. 139 “interrupted Julian” changed to “interrupted Julian,”
P. 141 “SO LOOK OUT”” CHANGED TO “SO LOOK OUT.””
P. 152 “MEDIOCITY” CHANGED TO “MEDIOCRITY”
P. 161 “O FOURTEEN” CHANGED TO “OF FOURTEEN”
P. 168 ““OR IN BAD” CHANGED TO “OR “IN BAD”
P. 171 “FULLY committed for trial.” changed to “FULLY committed for trial.””
p. 176 “crush hat” changed to “crush hat.”
p. 178 “by schoolboys” changed to “by schoolboys.”
p. 188 “unthinking” changed to “unthinking.”
p. 189 “~Harry-soph~” changed to “~Harry-soph~,”
p. 197 “Umh!” changed to ““Umh!”
p. 209 “_Gloucestershire_.” changed to “_Gloucestershire_,”
p. 217 “of the door,’” changed to “of the door,””
p. 219 “nothing five” changed to “nothing: five”
p. 224 “what a MEASLEY” changed to ““what a MEASLEY”
p. 229 “bad MOUNT.” changed to “bad MOUNT.””
p. 232 “_Neptune’s Triumph_, whch” changed to “_Neptune’s Triumph_, which”
p. 233 “Shakspear ehas” changed to “Shakspeare has”
p. 234 “VAMOS.”” changed to “VAMOS.”
p. 236 ““Your NIBS,” yourself.”” changed to ““Your NIBS,” yourself.”
p. 237 “~Nix my dolly~once” changed to “~Nix my dolly~, once”
p. 243 “_i.e._, you” changed to “_i.e._, “you”
p. 247 “to the PARTY?”” changed to “to the PARTY?”
p. 247 “_Stephano._” changed to ““_Stephano._”
p. 250 “drive awa ;” changed to “drive away;”
p. 251 “Nor yet a single” changed to ““Nor yet a single”
p. 253 “dérobé”).” changed to “dérobé)”.”
p. 253 “English word” changed to “English word.”
p. 254 “its purity?” changed to “its purity?””
p. 254 “trrdesman” changed to “tradesman”
p. 256 “£100,0000,” changed to “£100,000,”
p. 258 “~Pops ~,pocket-pistols.” changed to “~Pops~, pocket-pistols.”
p. 264 “THICK UN a” changed to “THICK UN, a”
p. 265 “for the account”” changed to “for the account.””
p. 275 “in unproductive” changed to “an unproductive”
p. 285 “improvemennts” changed to “improvements”
p. 295 “voilently” changed to “violently”
p. 296 “a good beating,” changed to “a good beating.”
p. 297 “Sluieing” changed to “Sluicing”
p. 297 “tip-top nation.” changed to “tip-top nation.””
p. 299 “SNIDE ’UN.”” changed to “SNIDE ’UN.”
p. 304 “a person, to cease” changed to “a person,” to cease”
p. 305 “TEA-SPOON,” changed to “TEA-SPOON;”
p. 306 “prisoners, when,” changed to “prisoners, when”
p. 307 “~Stab-rag~” changed to “~Stab-rag~,”
p. 316 “first six months” changed to “first six months;”
p. 321 “that term” changed to “that term.”
p. 322 “upon TICKET.” changed to “upon TICKET.””
p. 331 “TWIG,’” changed to “TWIG,””
p. 334 “can you” changed to ““can you”
p. 338 “WORRIT, ro” changed to “or WORRIT,”
p. 334 “igin hougour” changed to “igin agan hougour”
p. 334 “Romany!” changed to “Romany?”
p. 340 “WHITE WINE.”” changed to “WHITE WINE.’””
p. 349 “end with two vowels” changed to “end with two consonants”
p. 354 “~Exis yanneps~xpence.” changed to “~Exis yanneps~, sixpence.”
p. 354 “an apple” changed to “an apple.”
p. 368 “of beer” changed to “of beer.”
p. 369 “centre slang, then,” changed to “Centre slang, then,”
p. 372 “_London_, 1809” changed to “_London_, 1809.”
p. 374 “part of the work” changed to “part of the work.”
p. 374 “attemp” changed to “attempts.”
p. 375 “1858” changed to “1858.”
p. 376 “1797” changed to “1797.”
p. 378 “1859” changed to “1859.”
p. 379 “Wiemarisches” changed to “Weimarisches”
p. 379 “10te” changed to “10ter”
Inconsistent use of small capitals and italics has been left as printed.
On p. 76, “will about win” has been left as printed.
On p. 121, “_See_ COAL” in the entry for “Coal” has been left as printed.
On p. 195, “the blue jackets wont” has been left as printed.
On p. 379, “Wirtemberg” has been left as printed.
The following were not clearly printed and are conjectural:
Footnote to p. 53 “most objectionable”
p. 90 full stop in “Bethnal Green Museum.”
p. 94 the letter p in “person who steals”
p. 94 bracketed text in “swindler[, or a] lie”
p. 114 bracketed text in “Ch[aw] over”
p. 158 comma in “unfeminine accomplishment,”
p. 164 letter n and comma in “~Flim-flamn~,”
p. 181 bracketed text in “[tie]d.—_Sea._”
p. 197 last two digits in “1632.”
p. 207 last two digits in “1820.”
p. 211 bracketed text in “so[lic]ited”
p. 243 bracketed text in “descripti[on,]”
p. 248 semi-colon in “POIX);”
p. 262 “to” in “stratagem to excite”
p. 295 comma in “into a man,”
p. 337 comma in “WELSHER,”
There are a number of references to non-existent entries:
the entry for “Briefs” refers to “Reflectors”;
the entry for “Bub” refers to “Bibe”
the entry for “Harum-scarum” refers to “Tandem”;
the entry for “Lucky” refers to “Strike”;
the entry for “Man in the moon” refers to “Election Inquiries”;
the entry for “Random” refers to “Tandem”;
the entry for “Whiddle” refers to “Wheedle”.
In some cases entries of that name exist, but appear to be unrelated:
the entry for “Buz” refers to “Snooks” and “Walker”;
the entry for “Random” refers to “Sudden Death”.
The following possible error has been left as printed:
p. 254 “an ingenious candle-snuffers”
End of Project Gutenberg's The Slang Dictionary, by John Camden Hotten