Part 8

~Babes~, the lowest order of KNOCK-OUTS (which _see_), who are prevailed upon not to give opposing biddings at auctions, in consideration of their receiving a small sum (from one shilling to half-a-crown), and a certain quantity of beer. They can, however, even after this agreement, be secured on the other side for a little longer price. There is no honour among thieves—at all events not among auction thieves—nowadays.

~Back~, to support by means of money, on the turf or otherwise.—_See_ LAY.

~Back~, “to get one’s BACK UP,” to annoy or enrage. Probably from the action of a cat when preparing to give battle to an enemy.

~Back-end~, that portion of the year which commences with October. This phrase is peculiar to the turf, and has its origin in the fact that October was actually, and is now nearly, the finishing portion of the racing season. Towards BACK-END the punters and “little men” generally begin to look forward with anxiety to their winter prospects, and “going for the gloves” is not only a frequent phrase, but a frequently recurring practice.

~Back Out~, to retreat from a difficulty; reverse of GO AHEAD. Metaphor borrowed from the stables.

~Back Slang It~, to go out the back way. Equivalent to “Sling your hook out of the back-door,” _i.e._, get away quickly.

~Backslums~, the byeways and disreputable portions of a town.

~Back-Hander~, a blow on the face with the back of the hand, a back-handed tip. Also a drink out of turn, as when a greedy person delays the decanter to get a second glass. Anything done slyly or secretly is said to be done in a back-handed manner.

~Backer~, one who places his money on a particular man or animal; a supporter of one side in a contest. The great body of betting men is divided into BOOKMAKERS and BACKERS.

~Back Jump~, a back window.—_Prison term._

~Bacon~, the body, “to save one’s BACON,” to escape.

~Bad~, “to go to the bad,” to deteriorate in character, to be ruined. _Virgil_ has an almost similar phrase, _in pejus ruere_, which means, by the way, to go to the worse.

~Bad~, hard, difficult. Word in use among sporting men who say, “He will be BAD to beat,” when they mean that the man or horse to whom they refer will about win.

~Bad Egg~, a scoundrel or rascal.

~Badger~, to tease, to annoy by “chaffing.” Suggestive of drawing a badger.

~Bad Lot~, a term derived from auctioneering slang, and now generally used to describe a man or woman of indifferent morals.

~Badminton~, blood,—properly a peculiar kind of claret-cup invented at the Duke of Beaufort’s seat of that name. BADMINTON proper is made of claret, sugar, spice, cucumber peel, and ice, and was sometimes used by the patrons of the Prize Ring as a synonym for blood.

~Bad Words~, words not always bad of themselves but unpleasant to “ears polite,” from their vulgar associations.

~Baffaty~, calico. Term used in the drapery trade.

~Bag~, to seize or steal, equivalent to “collar.”

~Bagman~, a commercial traveller. This word is used more in reference to the old style of commercial travellers than to the present.

~Bags~, trousers. Trousers of an extensive pattern, or exaggerated fashion, have sometimes been termed HOWLING-BAGS, but only when the style has been very “loud.” The word is probably an abbreviation of bumbags. “To have the BAGS off,” to be of age and one’s own master, to have plenty of money. BAGS OF MYSTERY is another phrase in frequent use, and refers to sausages and saveloys. BAG OF TRICKS, refers to the whole of a means towards a result. “That’s the whole bag of tricks.”

~Baked~, seasoned, “he’s only HALF-BAKED,” _i.e._, soft, inexperienced.

~Baker’s Dozen~, thirteen. Originally the London bakers supplied the retailers, _i.e._, chandlers’ shopkeepers and itinerants, with thirteen loaves to the dozen, so as to make up what is known as the overweight, the surplus number, called the _inbread_, being thrown in for fear of incurring a penalty for short weight. To “give a man a BAKER’S DOZEN,” in a slang sense, sometimes means to give him an extra good beating or pummelling.

~Balaam~, printers’ slang for matter kept in type about monstrous productions of nature, &c., to fill up spaces in newspapers that would otherwise be vacant. The term BALAAM-BOX has often been used as the name of a depository for rejected articles. Evidently from Scripture, and referring to the “speech of an ass.”

~Bald-Faced Stag~, a term of derision applied to a person with a bald head. Also, still more coarsely, “BLADDER-OF-LARD.”

~Bale up~, an Australian term equivalent to our “Shell out.” A demand for instantaneous payment.

~Ballambangjang.~ The Straits of BALLAMBANGJANG, though unnoticed by geographers, are frequently mentioned in sailors’ yarns as being so narrow, and the rocks on each side so crowded with trees inhabited by monkeys, that the ship’s yards cannot be squared, on account of the monkey’s tails getting jammed into, and choking up, the brace blocks.—_Sea._

~Ballast~, money. A rich man is said to be well-ballasted. If not proud and over-bearing he is said to carry his ballast well.

~Balmy~, weak-minded or idiotic (not insane).

~Balmy~, sleep; “have a dose of the BALMY.”

~Bamboozle~, to deceive, make fun of, or cheat a person; abbreviated to BAM, which is sometimes used also as a substantive—a deception, a sham, a “sell.” _Swift_ says BAMBOOZLE was invented by a nobleman in the reign of Charles II.; but this is very likely an error. The probability is that a nobleman then first _used_ it in polite society. The term is derived from the _Gipsies_.

~Bandannah~, originally a peculiar kind of silk pocket-handkerchief, now slang used to denote all sorts of “stooks,” “wipes,” and “fogles,” and in fact the generic term for a kerchief, whether neck or pocket.

~Banded~, hungry. From the habit hungry folks have of tying themselves tight round the middle.

~Bandy~, or CRIPPLE, a sixpence, so called from this coin being generally bent or crooked; old term for flimsy or bad cloth, temp. Q. Elizabeth.

~Bang~, to excel or surpass; BANGING, great or thumping.

~Bang-up~, first-rate, in the best possible style.

~Bank~, to put in a place of safety. “BANK the rag,” _i.e._, secure the note. Also “to bank” is to go shares.

~Bank~, the total amount possessed by any one, “How’s the BANK?” “Not very strong; about one and a buck.”

~Bantling~, a child; stated in _Bacchus and Venus_, 1737, and by _Grose_, to be a cant term. This is hardly slang now-a-days, and modern etymologists give its origin as that of bands or swaddling clothes.

~Banyan-Day~, a day on which no meat is served out for rations; probably derived from the BANIANS, a Hindoo caste, who abstain from animal food. Quite as probably from the sanitary arrangements which have in hot climates counselled the eating of BANYANS and other fruits in preference to meat on certain days.—_Sea._

~Bar~, or BARRING, excepting; in common use in the betting-ring; “Two to one bar one,” _i.e._, two to one against any horse with the exception of one. The Irish use of BARRIN’ is very similar, and the words BAR and BARRING may now be regarded as general.

~Barber’s Cat~, a half-starved sickly-looking person. Term used in connexion with an expression too coarse to print.

~Barber’s Clerk~, an overdressed shopboy who apes the manners of, and tries to pass himself off as, a gentleman; a term of reproach applied not to an artisan but to one of those who, being below, assume airs of superiority over, handicraftsmen.

~Barge~, a term used among printers (compositors) to denote a case in which there is an undue proportion of some letters and a corresponding shortness of those which are most valuable.

~Bark~, an Irish person of either sex. From this term, much in use among the London lower orders, but for which no etymology can be found, Ireland is now and then playfully called Barkshire.

~Barker~, a man employed to cry at the doors of “gaffs,” shows, and puffing shops, to entice people inside. Among touting photographers he is called a doorsman.

~Barking-Iron~, or BARKER, a pistol. Term used by footpads and thieves generally.

~Barnacles~, spectacles; possibly a corruption of binoculi; but derived by some from the barnacle (_Lepas Anatifera_), a kind of conical shell adhering to ships’ bottoms. Hence a marine term for goggles, which they resemble in shape, and for which they are used by sailors in case of ophthalmic derangement.

~Barney~, an unfair race of any kind: a sell or cross. Also a lark, jollification, or outing. The word BARNEY is sometimes applied to a swindle unconnected with the sporting world.

~Barn Stormers~, theatrical performers who travel the country and act in barns, selecting short and tragic pieces to suit the rustic taste.

~Barrikin~, jargon, speech, or discourse; “We can’t tumble to that BARRIKIN,” _i.e._, we don’t understand what he says. “Cheese your BARRIKIN,” shut up. _Miege_ calls it “a sort of stuff;” _Old French_, BARACAN.

~Bash~, to beat, thrash; “BASHING a dona,” beating a woman; originally a provincial word, applied to the practice of beating walnut trees, when in bud, with long poles, to increase their productiveness. Hence the West country proverb—

“A woman, a whelp, and a walnut tree, The more you BASH ’em, the better they be.”

The word BASH, among thieves, signifies to flog with the cat or birch. The worst that can happen to a brutal ruffian is to receive “a BASHING in, and a BASHING out,”—a flogging at the commencement and another at the close of his term of enforced virtue.

~Baste~, to beat, properly to pour gravy on roasting meat to keep it from burning, and add to its flavour. Also a sewing term.

~Bastile~, the workhouse. General name for “the Union” amongst the lower orders of the _North_. Formerly used to denote a prison, or “lock-up;” but its abbreviated form, STEEL, is now the favourite expression with the dangerous classes, some of whom have never heard of BASTILE, familiar as they are with “steel.”

~Bat~, “on his own BAT,” on his own account. Evident modification of the cricket term, “off his own bat,” though not connected therewith.—_See_ HOOK.

~Bat~, to take an innings at cricket. To “carry out one’s BAT” is to be last in, _i.e._, to be “not out.” A man’s individual score is said to be made “off his own BAT.”

~Bat~, pace at walking or running. As, “He went off at a good BAT.”

~Bats~, a pair of bad boots.

~Battells~, the weekly bills at Oxford. Probably originally wooden tallies, and so a diminutive of bâton.—_University._

~Batter~, wear and tear; “can’t stand the BATTER,” _i.e._, not equal to the task; “on the BATTER,” “on the streets,” “on the town,” or given up to roystering and debauchery.

~Batty~, wages, perquisites. Derived from BATTA, an extra pay given to soldiers while serving in _India_.

~Batty-Fang~, to beat; BATTY-FANGING, a beating; also BATTER-FANG. Used metaphorically as early as 1630.

“So _batter-fanged_ and belabour’d with tongue mettle, that he was weary of his life.”—_Taylor’s Works._

~Beach-Comber~, a fellow who prowls about the sea-shore to plunder wrecks, and pick up waifs and strays of any kind.—_Sea._

~Beak~, originally a magistrate, judge, or policeman; now a magistrate only; “to baffle the BEAK,” to get remanded. _Ancient Cant_, BECK. _Saxon_, BEAG, a necklace or gold collar—emblem of authority. Sir John Fielding was called the BLIND-BEAK in the last century. Maybe connected with the Italian BECCO, which means a (bird’s) _beak_, and also a _blockhead_.—_See_ WALKER.

~Beaker-Hunter~, or BEAK-HUNTER, a stealer of poultry.

~Beans~, money; “a haddock of BEANS,” a purse of money; formerly, BEAN meant a guinea; _French_, BIENS, property.

~Bear~, one who contracts to deliver or sell a certain quantity of stock in the public funds on a forthcoming day at a stated place, but who does not possess it, trusting to a decline in public securities to enable him to fulfil the agreement and realize a profit.—_See_ BULL. Both words are slang terms on the Stock Exchange, and are frequently used in the business columns of newspapers.

“He who sells that of which he is not possessed is proverbially said to sell the skin before he has caught the BEAR. It was the practice of stock-jobbers, in the year 1720, to enter into a contract for transferring South Sea stock at a future time for a certain price; but he who contracted to sell had frequently no stock to transfer, nor did he who bought intend to receive any in consequence of his bargain; the seller was, therefore, called a BEAR, in allusion to the proverb, and the buyer a BULL, perhaps only as a similar distinction. The contract was merely a wager, to be determined by the rise or fall of stock; if it rose, the seller paid the difference to the buyer, proportioned to the sum determined by the same computation to the seller.”—_Dr. Warton on Pope._

These arrangements are nowadays called “time bargains,” and are as fairly (or unfairly) gambling as any transactions at the Victoria Club or Tattersall’s, or any of the doings which call for the intervention of the police and the protestations of pompous City magistrates, who, during their terms of office, try to be virtuous and make their names immortal. Certainly BULLING and BEARING are as productive of bankruptcy and misery as are BACKING and LAYING.

~Be-argered~, drunk. (The word is divided here simply to convey the pronunciation.)

~Bear-Leader~, a tutor in a private family. In the old days of the “grand tour” the term was much more in use and of course more significant than it is now.

~Bear-up~ and ~Bearer-up~.—_See_ BONNET.

~Beat~, the allotted range traversed by a policeman on duty.

~Beat~, or BEAT-HOLLOW, to surpass or excel; also “BEAT into fits,” and “BEAT badly.”

~Beat~, “DEAD-BEAT,” wholly worn out, done up.

~Beater-Cases~, boots. _Nearly obsolete._ TROTTER CASES is the term nowadays.

~Beaver~, old street term for a hat; GOSS is the modern word, BEAVER, except in the country, having fallen into disuse.

~Bebee~, a lady.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Be-Blowed~, a derisive instruction never carried into effect, as, “You BE-BLOWED.” Used similarly to the old “Go to.” _See_ BLOW ME.

~Bed-Fagot~, a contemptuous term for a woman; generally applied to a prostitute.—_See_ FAGOT.

~Bed-Post~, “in the twinkling of a BED-POST,” in a moment, or very quickly. Originally BED-STAFF, a stick placed vertically in the frame of a bed to keep the bedding in its place, and used sometimes as a defensive weapon.

~Bee~, “to have a BEE in one’s bonnet,” _i.e._, to be not exactly sane; to have a craze in one particular direction. Several otherwise sensible and excellent M.P.’s are distinguished by the “BEE in his bonnet” each carries.

~Beef-Headed~, stupid, fat-headed, dull.

~Beefy~, unduly thick or fat, commonly said of women’s ankles; also rich, juicy, plenteous. To take the whole pool at loo, or to have any particular run of luck at cards generally is said by players to be “very BEEFY.”

~Beeline~, the straightest possible line of route to a given point. When a bee is well laden, it makes a straight flight for home. Originally an Americanism, but now general.

~Beery~, intoxicated, or fuddled with beer.

~Beeswax~, poor, soft cheese. Sometimes called “sweaty-toe cheese.”

~Beeswing~, the film which forms on the sides of bottles which contain good old port wine. This breaks up into small pieces in the process of decanting, and looks like BEES’ WINGS. Hence the term.

~Beetle-Crusher~, or SQUASHER, a large flat foot. The expression was made popular by being once used by Leech.

~Beetle-Sticker~, an entomologist.

~Beggars’ Velvet~, downy particles which accumulate under furniture from the negligence of housemaids. Otherwise called SLUTS’-WOOL.

~Belcher~, a blue bird’s-eye handkerchief.—_See_ BILLY.

~Bell~, a song. Tramps’ term. Simply diminutive of BELLOW.

~Bellows~, the lungs. BELLOWSER, a blow in the “wind,” or pit of the stomach, taking one’s breath away.

~Bellowsed~, or LAGGED, transported.

~Bellows to Mend~, a person out of breath; especially a pugilist is said to be “BELLOWS TO MEND” when winded. With the P.R., the word has fallen into desuetude.

~Belly-Timber~, food, or “grub.”

~Belly-Vengeance~, small sour beer, apt to cause gastralgia.

~Bemuse~, to fuddle one’s self with drink, “BEMUSING himself with beer,” &c.

~Ben~, a benefit.—_Theatrical._

~Ben Cull~, a friend, or “pal.” Expression used by thieves.

~Bend~, “that’s above my bend,” _i.e._, beyond my power, too expensive or too difficult for me to perform.

~Bender~, a sixpence. Probably from its liability to bend. In the days when the term was most in use sixpences were not kept in the excellent state of preservation peculiar to the currency of the present day.

~Bender~, the arm; “over the BENDER,” synonymous with “over the left.”—_See_ OVER.

~Bendigo~, a rough fur cap worn in the midland counties, called after a noted pugilist of that name. “Hard Punchers” are caps worn by London roughs and formerly by men in training. They are a modification of the common Scotch cap, and have peaks.

~Bene~, good.—_Ancient Cant_; BENAR was the comparative.—_See_ BONE. _Latin._

~Benedick~, a married man. _Shakspeare._

~Benjamin~, coat. Formerly termed a JOSEPH, in allusion, perhaps, to Joseph’s coat of many colours.—_See_ UPPER-BENJAMIN.

~Ben Joltram~, brown bread and skimmed milk; a Norfolk term for a ploughboy’s breakfast.

~Benjy~, a waistcoat, diminutive of BENJAMIN.

~Beong~, a shilling.—_See_ SALTEE.—_Lingua Franca._

~Bess-o’-Bedlam~, a lunatic vagrant.—_Norfolk._

~Best~, to get the better or BEST of a man in any way—not necessarily to cheat—to have the best of a bargain. BESTED, taken in, or defrauded, in reality worsted. BESTER, a low betting cheat, a fraudulent bookmaker.

~Better~, more; “how far is it to town?” “Oh, BETTER ’n a mile.”—_Saxon_ and _Old English_, now a vulgarism.

~Betting Round~, laying fairly and equally against nearly all the horses in a race so that no great risk can be run. Commonly called getting round. _See_ BOOK, and BOOKMAKING.

~Betty~, a skeleton key, or picklock.—_Old Prison Cant._

~B Flats~, bugs.—_Compare_ F SHARPS.

~Bible-Carrier~, a person who sells songs without singing them.—_Seven Dials._

~Biddy~, a general name applied to Irish stallwomen and milkmaids, in the same manner that Mike is given to the labouring men. A big red-faced Irish servant girl is known as a Bridget.

~Big~, “to look BIG,” to assume an inflated air or manner; “to talk BIG,” _i.e._, boastingly.

~Big-Bird~, TO GET THE, _i.e._, to be hissed, as actors occasionally are by the “gods.” BIG-BIRD is simply a metaphor for goose.—_Theat. Slang._

~Big House~, or LARGE HOUSE, the workhouse,—a phrase used by the very poor.

~Big-wig~, a person in authority or office. Exchangeable with “GREAT GUN.”

~Bilbo~, a sword; abbrev. of “BILBAO blade.” Spanish swords were anciently very celebrated, especially those of Toledo, Bilbao, &c.

~Bilk~, a cheat, or a swindler. Formerly in general use, now confined to the streets, where it is common, and mostly used in reference to prostitutes. _Gothic_, BILAICAN.

~Bilk~, to defraud, or obtain goods, &c., without paying for them; “to BILK the schoolmaster,” to get information or experience without paying for it.

~Billingsgate~ (when applied to speech), foul and coarse language. Many years since people used to visit Thames Street to hear the Billingsgate fishwomen abuse each other. The anecdote of Dr. Johnson and the Billingsgate virago is well known.

~Billingsgate Pheasant~, a red herring or bloater. This is also called a “two-eyed steak.”

~Billy~, a silk pocket-handkerchief.—_Scotch._—_See_ WIPE.

⁂ A list of slang terms descriptive of the various patterns of handkerchiefs, pocket and neck, is here subjoined:—

BELCHER, darkish blue ground, large round white spots, with a spot in the centre of darker blue than the ground. This was adopted by Jem Belcher, the pugilist, as his “colours,” and soon became popular amongst “the fancy.”

BIRD’S-EYE WIPE, a handkerchief of any colour, containing white spots. The blue bird’s-eye is similar to the Belcher except in the centre. Sometimes a BIRD’S-EYE WIPE has a white ground and blue spots.

BLOOD-RED FANCY, red.

BLUE BILLY, blue ground, generally with white figures.

CREAM FANCY, any pattern on a white ground.

KING’S MAN, yellow pattern on a green ground.

RANDAL’S MAN, green, with white spots; named after the favourite colours of Jack Randal, pugilist.

WATER’S MAN, sky coloured.

YELLOW FANCY, yellow, with white spots.

YELLOW MAN, all yellow.

~Billy~, a policeman’s staff. Also stolen metal of any kind. BILLY-HUNTING is buying old metal. A BILLY-FENCER is a marine-store dealer.

~Billy-Barlow~, a street clown; sometimes termed a JIM CROW, or SALTIMBANCO,—so called from the hero of a slang song. Billy was a real person, semi-idiotic, and though in dirt and rags, fancied himself a swell of the first water. Occasionally he came out with real witticisms. He was a well-known street character about the East-end of London, and died in Whitechapel Workhouse.

~Billy-Cock~, a soft felt hat of the Jim Crow or “wide-awake” description.

~Bingo~, brandy.—_Old Cant._

~Bingy~, a term largely used in the butter trade to denote bad, ropy butter; nearly equivalent to VINNIED.

~Bird-Cage~, a four-wheeled cab.

~Birthday Suit~, the suit in which Adam and Eve first saw each other, and “were not ashamed.”

~Bishop~, a warm drink composed of materials similar to those used in the manufacture of “flip” and “purl.”

~Bit~, fourpence; in America a 12-1/2 cent piece is called a BIT, and a defaced 20 cent piece is termed a LONG BIT. A BIT is the smallest coin in Jamaica, equal to 6d. BIT usually means the smallest silver coin in circulation; also a piece of money of any kind. Charles Bannister, the witty singer and actor, one day meeting a Bow Street runner with a man in custody, asked what the prisoner had done; and being told that he had stolen a bridle, and had been detected in the act of selling it, said, “Ah, then, he wanted to touch the BIT.”

~Bitch~, tea; “a BITCH party,” a tea-drinking. Probably because undergraduates consider tea only fit for old women.—_Oxford._

~Bite~, a cheat; “a Yorkshire BITE,” a cheating fellow from that county. The term BITE is also applied to a hard bargainer.—_North_; also _old slang_—used by _Pope_. Swift says it originated with a nobleman in his day.

~Bite~, to cheat; “to be BITTEN,” to be taken in or imposed upon. Originally a Gipsy term. CROSS-BITER, for a cheat, continually occurs in writers of the sixteenth century. Bailey has CROSS-BITE, a disappointment, probably the primary sense; and BITE is very probably a contraction of this.

~Bit-Faker~, or TURNER OUT, a coiner of bad money.

~Bit-of-Stuff~, overdressed man; a man with full confidence in his appearance and abilities; a young woman, who is also called a BIT OF MUSLIN.

~Bitter~, diminutive of bitter beer; “to do a BITTER,” to drink beer.—Originally _Oxford_, but now general.

~Bittock~, a distance of very undecided length. If a North countryman be asked the distance to a place, he will most probably reply, “a mile and a BITTOCK.” The latter may be considered any distance from one hundred yards to ten miles.

~Bivvy~, or GATTER, beer; “shant of BIVVY,” a pot or quart of beer. In Suffolk the afternoon refreshment of reapers is called BEVER. It is also an old English term.

“He is none of those same ordinary eaters, that will devour three breakfasts, and as many dinners, without any prejudice to their BEVERS, drinkings, or suppers.”—_Beaumont and Fletcher’s Woman Hater_, i. 3.

Both words are probably from the _Italian_, BEVERE, BERE. _Latin_, BIBERE. _English_, BEVERAGE.

~Biz~, contraction of the word business; a phrase much used in America in writing as well as in conversation.