Chapter C (3)

COUPER (popular), _to fall into a snare_; _to accept as correct an assertion which is not so_; _to believe the statement of more or less likely facts_; ---- dans le pont, or ---- dans le ceinturon, _to swallow a fib, to fall into a snare_.

Vidocq dit comme ça qu’il vient du pré, qu’il voudrait
trouver des amis pour goupiner. Les autres coupent dans le
pont (donnent dans le panneau).--=VIDOCQ.=

COUPER LA CHIQUE, _to disappoint_; _to abash_; ---- la gueule à quinze pas, _to stink_; ---- la musette, or le sifflet, _to cut the throat_; ---- le trottoir, _to place one in the necessity of leaving the pavement by walking as if there were no one in the way, or when walking behind a person to get suddenly in front of him_; (military) ---- l’alfa, or la verte, _to drink absinthe_. Ne pas y ----, _not to escape_; _not to avoid_; _to disbelieve_. Vous n’y couperez pas, _you will not escape punishment_. Je n’y coupe pas, _I don’t take that in_. (Coachmens’) Couper sa mèche, _to die_. See PIPE. (Gambling cheats’) Couper dans le pont, _to cut a pack of cards prepared in such a manner as to turn up the card required by sharpers_. The cards are bent in a peculiar way, and in such a manner that the hand of the player who cuts must naturally follow the bend, and separate the pack at the desired point. This cheating trick is used in England as well as France, and is termed in English slang the “bridge.”

COUPE-SIFFLET, _m._ (thieves’), _knife_, “chive.” Termed also “lingre, vingt-deux, surin.”

COURANT, _m._ (thieves’), _dodge_. Connaître le ----, _to be up to a dodge_.

COURASSON, _m._ (familiar), _one whose bump of amativeness is well developed_, in other terms, _one too fond of the fair sex_. Vieux ----, _old debauchee, old_ “rip.”

COURBE, _f._ (thieves’), _shoulder_; ---- de marne, _shoulder of mutton_.

Les marquises des cagous ont soin d’allumer le riffe et
faire riffoder la criolle; les uns fichent une courbe de
morne, d’autres un morceau de cornant, d’autres une échine
de baccon, les autres des ornies et des ornichons.--_Le
Jargon de l’Argot._

COUREUR, _m._ (thieves’), d’aveugles, _a wretch who robs blind men of the half-pence given them by charitable people_.

COURIR (popular), quelqu’un, _to bore one_. Se la ----, _to run_, _to run away_, “to slope.” For synonyms see PATATROT.

COURRIER, _m._ (thieves’), de la préfecture, _prison van_, or “black Maria.”

COURT-À-PATTES, _m._ (military), _foot artilleryman_.

COURTAUD, _m._ (thieves’), _shopman_, or “counter jumper.”

COURT-BOUILLON, _m._ (thieves’), le grand ----, _the sea_, “briny,” or “herring pond.” Termed by English sailors “Davy’s locker.” Court-bouillon properly is _water with different kinds of herbs in which fish is boiled_.

COURTIER, _m._ (thieves’), à la mode. See BANDE NOIRE. (Familiar) Courtier marron, _kind of unofficial stockjobber_, _an outsider_, or “kerbstone broker.”

COUSIN, _m._ (thieves’), _cardsharper_, or “broadsman;” ---- de Moïse, _husband of a dissolute woman_.

COUSINE, _f._ (popular), _Sodomist_; ---- de vendange, _dissolute girl fond of the wine-shop_.

COUSSE, _f._ (thieves’), de castu, _hospital attendant_.

COUTEAU, _m._ (military), grand ----, _cavalry sword_.

COÛTER (popular), cela coûte une peur et une envie de courir, _nothing_.

COUTURASSE, _f._ (popular), _sempstress_; _pock-marked or_ “cribbage-faced” _woman_.

COUVENT, _m._ (popular), laïque, _brothel_, or “nanny-shop.”

Le 49 est un lupanar. Ce couvent laïque est connu dans
le Quartier Latin sous la dénomination de: La Botte de
Paille.--=MACÉ=, _Mon Premier Crime_.

COUVERCLE, _m._ (popular), _hat_, or “tile.” See TUBARD.

COUVERT, _m._ (thieves’), _silver fork and spoon from which the initials have been obliterated, or which have been_ “christened.”

COUVERTE, _f._ (military), battre la ----, _to sleep_. Faire passer à la ----, _to toss one in a blanket_.

COUVERTURE, _f._ (theatrical), _noise made purposely at a theatre to prevent the public from noticing something wrong in the delivery of actors_.

Nous appelons couverture le bruit que nous faisons dans la
salle pour couvrir un impair, un pataquès, une faute de
français.--=P. MAHALIN.=

COUVRANTE, _f._ (popular), _cap_, or “tile.” See TUBARD.

COUVRE-AMOUR, _m._ (military), _shako_.

COUVREUR, _m._ (freemasons’), _doorkeeper_.

COUVRIR (freemasons’), le temple, _to shut the door_.

COUYON. See COUILLON.

COUYONNADE, _f._ See COUILLONNADE.

COUYONNERIE, _f._ See COUILLONNERIE.

CRABOSSER (popular), _to crush in a hat_.

CRAC. See CRIC.

CRACHER (popular), _to speak out_; ---- des pièces de dix sous, _to be dry, thirsty_; ---- dans le sac, _to be guillotined_, _to die_; ---- ses doublures, _to be consumptive_. Ne pas ---- sur quelquechose, _not to object to a thing_, _to value it_, “not to sneeze at.” (Musicians’) Cracher son embouchure, _to die_. See PIPE.

CRACHOIR, _m._ (popular and thieves’), _mouth_, or “bone-box.” See PLOMB. (General) Jouer du ----, _to speak_, “to rap,” “to patter.” Abuser du ----, _is said of a very talkative person who engrosses all the conversation_.

CRAMPE, _f._ (popular), tirer sa ----, _to flee_, “to crush.” See PATATROT. Tirer sa ---- avec la veuve, _to be guillotined_.

CRAMPER (popular), se ----, _to run away_. See PATATROT.

CRAMPON, _m._ (familiar), _bore_; _one not easily got rid of_.

CRAMPONNE TOI GUGUSSE! (popular, ironical), _prepare to be astounded_.

CRAMPONNER (familiar), _to force one’s company on a person_; _to bore_.

CRAMSER (popular), _to die_.

CRAN, _m._ (popular), avoir son ----, _to be angry_. Faire un ----, _to make a note of something_; an allusion to the custom which bakers have of reckoning the number of loaves furnished by cutting notches in a piece of wood. Lâcher d’un ----, _to leave one suddenly_.

CRÂNE, _adj._ (popular), _fine_.

CRÂNEMENT (popular), _superlatively_. Je suis ---- content, _I am superlatively happy_.

CRÂNER (popular), _to be impudent, threatening_. Si tu crânes, je te ramasse, _none of your cheek, else I’ll give you a thrashing_.

CRAPAUD, _m._ (thieves’), _padlock_; (military) _diminutive man_; _purse in which soldiers store up their savings_; ---- serpenteux, _spiral rocket_. (Popular) Crapaud, _child_, “kid.”

Ben, moi, c’t’existence-là m’assomme!
J’voudrais posséder un chapeau.
L’est vraiment temps d’dev’nir un homme.
J’en ai plein l’dos d’être un crapaud.

=RICHEPIN=, _Chanson des Gueux_.

CRAPOUSSIN, _m._ (popular), _small man_; _child_, or “kid.”

CRAPULOS, CRAPULADOS, _m._ (familiar and popular), _one-sou cigar_.

CRAQUELIN, _m._ (popular), _liar_. From craque, _fib_.

CRASSE, _f._ (familiar), _mean or stingy action_. Baron de la ----, see BARON.

CRAVACHE, _f._ (sporting), être à la ----, _to be at a whip’s distance_.

CRAVATE, _f._ (popular), de chanvre, _noose_, or “hempen cravat;” ---- de couleur, _rainbow_; ---- verte, _women’s bully_, “ponce.” See POISSON.

CRAYON, _m._, _stockbroker’s clerk_. The allusion is obvious.

CRÉATURE, _f._ (familiar), _strumpet_.

CRÈCHE, _f._ (cads’), faire une tournée à la ----, or à la chapelle, _is said of a meeting of Sodomists_.

CREDO, _m._ (thieves’), _the gallows_.

CRÊPAGE, _m._ (popular), _a fight_; _a tussle_. Un ---- de chignons, _tussle between two females_, in which they seize one another by the hair and freely use their nails.

CRÊPER (popular), le chignon, or le toupet, _to thrash_, “to wallop.” See VOIE. Se ---- le chignon, le toupet, _to have a set to_.

CRÉPIN, _m._ (popular), _shoemaker_, or “snob.”

CRÉPINE, _f._ (thieves’), _purse_, “skin,” or “poge.”

CRÈS (thieves’), _quickly_.

CRESPINIÈRE (old cant), _much_.

CREUSE, _f._ (popular), _throat_, “gutter lane.”

CREUX, _m._ (thieves’), _house_; _lodgings_, “diggings,” “ken,” or “crib.” (Popular) Bon ----, _good voice_. Fichu ----, _weak voice_.

CREVAISON, _f._ (popular), _death_. Faire sa ----, _to die_. Crever, _to die_, is said of animals. See PIPE.

CREVANT, _adj._ (swells’), _boring to death_; _very amusing_.

Que si vous les interrogez sur le bal de la nuit, ils
vous répondront invariablement, C’était crevant, parole
d’honneur.--=MAHALIN.=

CREVARD (popular), _stillborn child_.

CREVÉ (popular), _dead_. (Familiar) Petit ----, _swell_, or “masher.” See GOMMEUX.

CRÈVE-FAIM, _m._ (popular), _man who volunteers as a soldier_.

CREVER (popular), _to dismiss from one’s employment_; _to wound_; _to kill_; ---- la sorbonne, _to break one’s head_.

Mais c’ qu’est triste, hélas!
C’est qu’ pour crever à coups d’botte
Des gens pas palas.
On vous envoie en péniche
A Cayenne-les-eaux.

=RICHEPIN=, _Chanson des Gueux_.

Crever la pièce de dix sous _is said of the practices of Sodomists_; ---- la paillasse, _to kill_.

Verger, il creva la paillasse
A Monseigneur l’Archevêque de Paris.

The above quotation is from a “complainte” on the murder of the Archbishop of Paris, Monseigneur Sibour, in the church Sainte-Geneviève, by a priest named Verger. A complainte is a kind of carol, or dirge, which has for a theme the account of a murder or execution. (Familiar) Crever l’œil au diable, _to succeed in spite of envious people_. Tu t’en ferais ----, _expressive of ironical refusal_. It may be translated by, “don’t you wish you may get it?” Se ----, _to eat to excess_, “to scorf.”

CREVER À (printers’), _to stop composing at such and such a line_.

CREVETTE, _f._ (popular), _prostitute_, “mot.”

CRIBLAGE, CRIBLEMENT, _m._ (thieves’), _outcry, uproar_.

CRIBLER (thieves’), _to cry out_; ---- à la grive, _to give a warning call_; _to call out_ “shoe-leather!” _to call out “police! thieves!“_ “to give hot beef.”

On la crible à la grive,
Je m’ la donne et m’esquive,
Elle est pommée maron.

=VIDOCQ.=

CRIBLEUR, _m._ (thieves’), de frusques, _clothier_; ---- de lance, _water-carrier_; ---- de malades, _man whose functions are to call prisoners to a room where they may speak to visitors_; ---- de verdouze, a _fruiterer_.

CRIC, or CRICQUE, _m._ (popular), _brandy_, called “French cream” in English slang. Faire ----, _to run away_, “to guy.” See PATATROT.

CRIC! (military), _call given by a soldier about to spin a yarn to an auditory, who reply by a_ “crac!” _thus showing they are still awake_. After the preliminary cric! crac! has been bawled out, the auditory repeat all together as an introduction to the yarn: Cuiller à pot! Sous-pieds de guêtres! Pour l’enfant à naître! On pendra la crémaillère! Chez la meilleure cantinière! &c., &c.

CRIC-CROC! (thieves’), _your health!_

CRIE, or CRIGNE, _f._ (thieves’), _meat_, “carnish.”

CRIN, _m._ (familiar), être comme un ----, _to be irritable or irritated, to be_ “cranky,” or “chumpish.”

CRINOLINE, _f._ (players’), _queen of cards_.

CRIOLLE, _f._ (thieves’), _meat_, “carnish.” Morfiler de la ----, _to eat meat_.

CRIOLLIER, _m._ (thieves’), _butcher_.

CRIQUE, _m. and f._ (popular), _brandy_; _an ejaculation_. Je veux bien que la ---- me croque si je bois une goutte en plus de quatre litres par jour! _may I be_ “jiggered” _if I drink more than four litres a day!_

CRIQUER (popular), se ----, _to run away_, “to slope.” See PATATROT.

CRIS DE MERLUCHE, _m. pl._ (popular), _frightful howling_; _loud complaints_.

CRISTALLISER (students’), _to idle about in a sunny place_.

CROC, abbreviation of escroc, _swindler_.

CROCHE, _f._ (thieves’), _hand_, “famble,” or “daddle.”

CROCHER (thieves’), _to ring_; _to pick a lock_, “to screw.” (Popular) Se ----, _to fight_.

CROCODILE, _m._ (familiar), _creditor, or dun_; _usurer_; _foreign student at the military school of Saint-Cyr_.

CROCQUE, _m._ (popular), _sou_.

CROCS, _m. pl._ (popular), _teeth_, “grinders.”

CROIRE (familiar), que c’est arrivé, _to believe too implicitly that a thing exists_; _to have too good an opinion of oneself_.

CROISANT, _m._ (popular), _waistcoat_, or “benjy.”

CROISSANT, _m._ (popular), loger rue du ----, _to be an injured husband_. An allusion to the horns.

CROIX, _f._ (popular), _six-franc piece_. An allusion to the cross which certain coins formerly bore. According to Eugène Sue the old clothes men in the Temple used the following denominations for coins: pistoles, ten francs; croix, six francs; la demi-croix, three francs; le point, one franc; le demi-point, half-a-franc; le rond, half-penny. Croix de Dieu, _alphabet_, on account of the cross at the beginning.

CRÔME, or CROUME, _m._ (thieves’ and tramps’), _credit_, “jawbone,” or “day.”

CROMPER (thieves’), _to save_; _to run away_, “to guy.” See PATATROT. Cromper sa sorbonne, _to save one’s head_.

CROMPIR, _potato_. From the German grundbirne.

CRÔNE, _f._ (thieves’), _wooden platter_.

CRÔNÉE, _f._ (thieves’), _platter full_.

CROQUAILLON, _m._ (popular), _bad sketch_.

CROQUE. See CRIQUE.

CROQUEMITAINES, _m. pl._ (military), _soldiers who are sent to the punishment companies in Africa for having wilfully maimed themselves in order to escape military service_.

CROQUENEAU, _m._ (popular), _new shoe_; ---- verneau, _patent leather shoe_.

CROQUET (popular), _irritable man_.

CROSSE, _f._ (thieves’), _receiver of stolen goods_, or “fence;” _public prosecutor_.

CROSSER (thieves’), _to receive stolen goods_; _to strike the hour_.

Quand douze plombes crossent,
Les pègres s’en retournent,
Au tapis de Montron.

=VIDOCQ.=

CROSSEUR, _m._ (thieves’), _bell-ringer_.

CROSSIN. See CROSSE.

CROTAL, _m._, _student of the Ecole Polytechnique holding the rank of sergeant_.

CROTTARD, _m._ (popular), _foot pavement_.

CROTTE D’ERMITE, _f._ (thieves’), _baked pear_.

CROTTIN, _m._ (military), sergent de ----, _non-commissioned officer at the cavalry school of Saumur_. Thus termed because he is often in the stables.

CROUMIER (horse-dealers’), _broker or agent of questionable honesty, or one who is_ “wanted” _by the police_.

CROUPIONNER (popular), _to twist one’s loins about so as to cause one’s dress to bulge out_.

CROUPIR (popular), dans le battant _is said of undigested food, which inconveniences one_.

CROUSTILLE, _f._ (popular), casser un brin de ----, _to have a snack_.

CROUSTILLER (popular), _to eat_, “to grub.” See MASTIQUER.

CROÛTE, _f._ (popular), s’embêter comme une ---- de pain derrière une malle, _to feel desperately dull_.

CROÛTEUM, _m._ (familiar), _collection of_ “croûtes,” _or worthless pictures_.

CROÛTON, _m._ (artists’), _painter devoid of any talent_.

CROÛTONNER (artists’), _to paint worthless pictures, daubs_.

CROYEZ (popular), ça et buvez de l’eau, _expression used to deride credulous people_. Literally _believe that and drink water_.

CRU (artists’), faire ----, see FAIRE.

CRUCIFIER (familiar), _to grant one the decoration of the Legion of Honour_. The expression is meant to be jocular.

CRUCIFIX, or CRUCIFIX À RESSORT, _m._ (thieves’), _pistol_, “barking iron.”

CUBE, _m._, _student of the third year in higher mathematics_ (mathématiques spéciales); (familiar) _a regular idiot_.

CUCURBITACÉ, _m._ (familiar), _a dunce_.

CUEILLIR (popular), le persil _is said of a prostitute walking the streets_.

CUILLER, _f._ (popular), _hand_, or “daddle.”

CUIR, _m._ (popular), de brouette, _wood_. Escarpin en ---- de brouette, _wooden shoe_. Gants en ---- de poule, _ladies’ gloves made of fine skin_. Tanner le ----, _to thrash_, “to tan one’s hide.”

CUIRASSÉ, _m._ (popular), _urinals_.

CUIRASSER (popular), _to make_ “cuirs,” that is, in conversation carrying on the wrong letter, or one which does not form part of a word, to the next word, as, for instance, Donnez moi z’en, je vais t’y m’amuser.

CUIRASSIER, _m._ (popular), _one who frequently indulges in_ “cuirs.” See CUIRASSER.

CUIRE (popular), se faire ----, _to be arrested._ See PIPER.

CUISINE, _f._ (thieves’), _the Préfecture de Police_; (literary) ---- de journal, _all that concerns the details and routine arrangement of the matter for a newspaper_. (Popular) Faire sa ---- à l’alcool, _to indulge often in brandy drinking_.

CUISINER (literary), _to do, to concoct some inferior literary or artistic work_.

CUISINIER, _m._ (thieves’), _spy_, or “nark;” _detective_; _barrister_; (literary) _newspaper secretary_.

CUISSE, _f._ (familiar), avoir la ---- gaie _is said of a woman who is too fond of men_.

CUIT, _adj._ (thieves’), _sentenced, condemned_, or “booked;” _done for_.

CUITE, _f._ (popular), _intoxication_. Se flanquer une ----, _to get drunk_, or “screwed.”

CUL, _m._ (popular), _stupid fellow_, or “duffer;” ---- d’âne, _blockhead_; ---- de plomb, _slow man_, or “bummer;” _clerk_, or “quill-driver;” _woman who awaits clients at a café_; ---- goudronné, _sailor_, or “tar;” ---- levé, _game of écarté at which two players are in league to swindle the third_; ---- rouge, _soldier with red pants_, or “cherry bum;” ---- terreux, _peasant, clodhopper_. Montrer son ----, _to become a bankrupt_, or “brosier.”

CULASSES, _f. pl._ (military), revue des ---- mobiles, _monthly medical inspection_. Culasse, properly _the breech of a gun_.

CULBUTANT, _m._, or CULBUTE, _f._ (thieves’), _breeches_, or “hams.” Termed also “fusil à deux coups, grimpants.” Esbigner le chopin dans sa culbute, _to conceal stolen property in one’s breeches_.

CULBUTE, _f._ (thieves’), _breeches_. (Popular) La ----, _the circus_.

CULERÉE, _f._ (printers’), _composing stick which is filled up_.

CULOTTE, _m._ (popular and familiar), _money losses at cards_; _excess in anything, especially in drink_. Grosse ----, _regular drunkard_. Donner dans la ---- rouge _is said of a woman who is too fond of soldiers’ attentions, of one who has an attack of_ “scarlet fever.” Se flanquer une ----, _to sustain a loss at a game of cards_; _to get intoxicated_. (Students’) Empoigner une ----, _to lose at a game, and to have in consequence to stand all round_. (Artists’) Faire ----, _exaggeration of_ FAIRE CHAUD (which see).

CULOTTÉ, _adj._ (popular), _hardened_; _soiled_; _seedy_; _red_, &c. Etre ----, _to have a seedy appearance_. Un nez ----, _a red nose_.

CULOTTER (popular), se ----, _to get tipsy_; _to have a worn-out, seedy appearance_. Se ---- de la tête aux pieds, _to get completely tipsy_.

CUMULARD, _m._ (familiar), _official who holds several posts at the same time_.

CUPIDON, _m._ (thieves’), _rag-picker_, or “bone-grubber.” An ironical allusion to his hook and basket.

CURE-DENTS (familiar), venir en ----, _to come to an evening party without having been invited to the dinner that precedes it_. Termed also “venir en pastilles de Vichy.”

CURETTE, _f._ (military), _cavalry sword_. Manier la ----, _to do sword exercise_.

CURIEUX, _m._ (thieves’), _magistrate_, “beak,” or “queer cuffin.” Also _juge d’instruction_, a magistrate who investigates cases before they are sent up for trial. Grand ----, _chief judge of the assize court_.

CYCLOPE, _m._ (popular), _behind_, or “blind cheek.”

CYLINDRE, _m._ (popular), _top hat_, or “stove-pipe;” see TUBARD; _body_, or “apple cart.” Tu t’en ferais péter le ----, _is expressive of ironical refusal_; “don’t you wish you may get it.”

CYMBALE, _f._ (thieves’), _moon_, or “parish lantern;” (popular) _escutcheon placed over the door of the house of a notary_.