Chapter XIII: Part 13

~Potheen~, whisky made in an illicit still, once a favourite drink in Ireland, now almost unattainable. People resident in England who read of the charms of POTHEEN would be rather astonished if they were to taste it. It is real “fire-water” flavoured with peat-smoke.

~Potted~, or POTTED OUT, cabined, confined, figurative of crammed into a garden-pot. Also applied to burial,—a horticultural allusion.

~Potter~, to meddle without much judgment. Application various. A gentleman may describe himself as “POTTERING about in his garden,” and think the phrase pleasant. The gardener, who has to do the work all over again, may, however, use the word in quite a different sense.

~Power~, a large quantity; “a POWER of money.”—_Irish_ at first, but now general.

~Pow-wow~, a conference. Originally an Indian term.

~Prad~, a horse. PRAD-NAPPING was horse-stealing. Both these terms are old cant.

~Prancer~, a horse.—_Ancient Cant._ In modern slang an officer of cavalry.

~Praties~, potatoes.—_Irish._

~Precious~, used, in a slang sense, like very or exceeding; “a PRECIOUS little of that,” _i.e._, a very little indeed; a PRECIOUS humbug, rascal, &c., _i.e._, an eminent one.

~Pretty horsebreakers~, a phrase adopted some years back, in deference to common squeamishness, to denote the _demi-monde_, who dress so well and ride so daintily. Really, pretty heartbreakers.

~Prial~, a corruption of PAIR-ROYAL, a term at the game of cribbage, meaning three cards of a similar description. Often used metaphorically for three persons or things of a kind. DOUBLE-PRIAL, a corruption of DOUBLE PAIR-ROYAL, means four cards, persons, or things of a similar description.

~Prick the garter~, or PITCH THE NOB, a gambling and cheating game common at fairs, and generally practised by thimble-riggers. It consists of a GARTER or a piece of list doubled, and then folded up tight. The bet is made upon your asserting that you can, with a pin, PRICK the point at which the garter is doubled. The garter is then unfolded, and nine times out of ten you will find that you have been deceived, and that one of the false folds has been pricked. The owner of the GARTER holds the ends tightly with one hand, and there is little doubt that he can make the “flat” lose and the “bonnet” win at pleasure. This was, doubtless, originally a gipsy game, and we are informed by Brand that it was much practised by the gipsies in the time of Shakspeare. In those days it was termed PRICKING AT THE BELT, or FAST AND LOOSE.

~Prig~, a thief. Used by Addison in the sense of a coxcomb.—_Ancient Cant_, probably from the _Saxon_, PRICC-AN, to filch, &c.—_Shakspeare._ PRIG, to steal or rob. PRIGGING, thieving. In Scotland the term PRIG is used in a different sense from what it is in England. In Glasgow, or at Aberdeen, “to PRIG a salmon” would be to cheapen it, or seek for an abatement in the price. A story is told of two Scotchmen, visitors to London, who got into sad trouble a few years ago by announcing their intention of “PRIGGING a hat” which they had espied in a fashionable manufacturer’s window, and which one of them thought he would like to possess.

~Prig~, a conceited, stuck-up, over-knowing person; one who appropriates or adopts a manner or costume not suited to him.

~Priggish~, conceited.

~Primed~, said of a person in that state of incipient intoxication that if he took more drink it would become evident. Also, crammed for an examination.

~Pro~, a professional.—_Theatrical._

~Pro~, the proproctor, or second in command in the proctorial police. The two proctors generally appoint a certain number of proproctors each.—_Oxford University._

~Proctorized~, TO BE, to be stopped by the Proctor, and told to call on him.—_University._

~Prog~, meat, food, &c. Johnson calls it “a low word.” He was fond of “prog,” however.

~Proof~, the best ale at Magdalen College, Oxford.

~Prop~, a blow. As, “a PROP on the nose,”—more street slang than pugilistic.

~Prop~, a scarf pin.

~Prop-nailer~, a man who “sneaks,” or rather snatches, pins from gentlemen’s scarves.

~Proper~, very, exceedingly, sometimes used ironically; “you are a PROPER nice fellow,” meaning a great scamp. A “PROPER man” generally means a perfect man, as far as can be known.

~Props~, crutches.

~Props~, stage properties.—_Theatrical._

~Pros~, a water-closet. Abbreviated form of πρὸς τινα τόπον. Some say, πρὸς τον τόπον.—_Oxford University._

~Pross~, to break in or instruct a stage-infatuated youth. Also, to spunge upon a comrade or stranger for drink. In this latter capacity the word is in connexion with prostitute, a PROSSER being considered a most degraded being, and the word being supposed by many to represent a man who lives on a woman’s prostitution.

~Psalm-smiter~, a “Ranter,” one who sings at a conventicle. _See_ BRISKET-BEATER.

~Pub~, or PUBLIC, a public-house; “what PUB do you use?” _i.e._, which inn or public-house do you frequent?

~Public patterers~, swell mobsmen who pretend to be Dissenting preachers, and harangue in the open air to attract a crowd for their confederates to rob.

~Pucker~, poor or bad temper, difficulty, _déshabillé_. PUCKER UP, to get in a bad temper.

~Puckering~, talking privately.

~Puckerow~, to seize, to take hold of. From the _Hindostanee_, PUCKERNA.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Pudding-snammer~, one who robs a cook-shop.

~Puff~, to blow up, or swell with praise; declared by a writer in the _Weekly Register_, as far back as 1732, to be illegitimate.

“PUFF has become a cant word, signifying the applause set forth by
writers, &c. to increase the reputation and sale of a book, and is
an excellent stratagem to excite the curiosity of gentle readers.”

Lord Bacon, however, used the word in a similar sense a century before. Sheridan also seems to have remembered the use of the word, _vide_ Mr. PUFF.

~Pug~, a fighting man’s idea of the contracted word to be produced from pugilist.

~Pull~, an advantage, or hold upon another; “I’ve the PULL over (or of) you,” _i.e._, you are in my power—perhaps an oblique allusion to the judicial sense. See the following.

~Pull~, to have one apprehended; “to be PULLED up,” or more recently “to be PULLED” only, to be taken before a magistrate. The police are constantly “pulling” loitering, furiously driving, or drunken cabmen.

~Pull~, to drink; “come, take a PULL at it,” _i.e._, drink up.

~Pull~, to prevent a horse from winning, that is, so far as the rider’s action is concerned.

~Pullet~, a young girl. Filly is an exchangeable term.

~Pummel~, to thrash,—from POMMEL.

~Pump~, to extract information by roundabout questioning.

~Pundit~, a person who assumes to be very grave and learned.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Punkah~, a fan, usually a fan of very large size, worked with a string, and used to ventilate rooms.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Punt~, to gamble; PUNTING-SHOP, a gambling-house. Common in ancient writers, but now disused. The word seems confined to playing for “chicken stakes.” PUNT means now in the sporting world to back horses for small stakes.

~Punter~, a small professional backer of horses.

~Pup and ringer~, _i.e._, the “Dog and Bell,” the sign of a flash public-house.

~Purdah~, a curtain.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Pure finders~, street-collectors of dogs’ dung.—_Humorous._

~Purl~, to spill; PURLED is a hunting and steeplechasing term synonymous with “foaled,” or “spilt” (thrown); “he’ll get PURLED at the rails.”

~Purl~, a mixture of hot ale and sugar, with wormwood infused in it, a favourite morning drink to produce an appetite; sometimes with gin and spice added:—

“Two penn’orth o’ PURL—
Good ‘early PURL,’
’Gin all the world
To put your hair into a curl,
When you feel yourself queer of a mornin’.”

~Purler~, a heavy fall from a horse in the hunting or steeplechasing field.

~Push~, a robbery or swindle. “I’m in this PUSH,” the notice given by one magsman to another that he means to “stand in.”

~Push~, a crowd.—_Old Cant._

~Pussey-cats~, corruption of Puseyites, a name constantly, but improperly, given to the Tractarian party in the Church, from the Oxford Regius Professor of Hebrew, who by no means approved of the Romanizing tendencies of some of its leaders. The name still sticks, however, to this day.

~Put~, a game at cards, once fashionable, but now played among thieves and costermongers only.

~Put~, an obsolete slang term representing the modern “bloke” or “cove.” It was generally applied to elderly persons.

~Put on~, to promise another money or valuables in the event of an anticipated success. “You’re ON a quid if Kaiser wins,” might often have been heard before last St. Leger. Many hangers-on of the turf live almost entirely by what they are PUT ON, by bookmakers and backers for whom they do odd work.

~Put that in your pipe and smoke it~, said of a blow or repartee, and equivalent to take that and think over it, or digest it, or let it be a warning to you.

~Put the pot on~, to put too much money upon one horse.—_Sporting._

~Put up~, to suggest, to incite, “he PUT me UP to it;” he prompted me to do it. PUT UP, to stop at an hotel or a tavern for entertainment.

~Put up~, to inspect or plan out with a view of robbery. To obtain full particulars with regard to a house and its occupants, so that danger shall be reduced to a minimum, and the chances of success enlarged.

~Put upon~, cheated, victimized, oppressed.

~Putter up~, a man who travels about for the purpose of obtaining information useful to professional burglars. A man of this description will assume many characters, sometimes ingratiating himself with the master of a house, sometimes with the servants, but all to one end, that of robbery. He rarely or never joins in the actual burglary, his work being simply to obtain full particulars as to how, when, and where, for which he receives his full share of the “swag.”

~Puttun~, regiment.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Pyah~, weak, useless, paltry. This word, much in use among sailors, is evidently derived from the Indian term PARIAH, signifying the lowest caste of Hindoos. Thus the Pariah dogs in India are termed PYAH dogs; and the Pariah descendants of the old Portuguese settlers are called PYAH Portuguese. Sailors term the natives of St. Helena—a wretched-looking set of individuals—PYAH Englishmen.

~Pygostole~, the least irreverent of names for the peculiar M. B. coats worn by Tractarian curates:—

“It is true that the wicked make sport
Of our PYGOSTOLES, as we go by;
And one gownsman, in Trinity Court,
Went so far as to call me a ‘Guy.’”

_See_ M. B.

~Pyjands~, a kind of drawers or loose pantaloons.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Quad.~ _See_ QUOD.

~Quaker~, a lump of excrement.

~Quality~, gentry, the upper classes.

~Quandary~, described in the dictionaries as a “low word,” may fittingly be given here. It illustrates, like “hocus-pocus,” and other compound colloquialisms, the singular origin of slang expressions. QUANDARY, a dilemma, a doubt, a difficulty, is from the French, QU’EN DIRAI-JE?—_Skinner._

~Quartereen~, a farthing.—_Gibraltar term._ _Italian_, QUATTRINO.

~Quaver~, a musician.

~Quean~, a strumpet. In Scotland, a lower-class woman. _Saxon_, CWEAN, a barren old cow.

~Queen Bess~, the Queen of Clubs,—perhaps because that queen, history says, was of a swarthy complexion.—_North Hants._ _See Gentleman’s Magazine for 1791_, p. 141.

~Queen’s tobacco-pipe~, the kiln in which all contraband tobacco seized by the Custom-house officers is burned.

~Queer~, an old cant word, once in continual use as a prefix, signifying base, roguish, or worthless,—the opposite of RUM, which signified good and genuine. QUEER, in all probability, is immediately derived from the cant language. It has been mooted that it came into use from a _quære_ (?) being set before a man’s name; but it is more than probable that it was brought into this country, by the gipsies, from Germany, where QUER signifies “cross” or “crooked.” At all events it is believed to have been first used in England as a cant word.

~Queer~, “to QUEER a flat,” to puzzle or confound a “gull,” or silly fellow.

“Who in a row like Tom could lead the van,
Booze in the ken, or at the spellken hustle?
Who QUEER a flat,” &c.—_Don Juan_, xi. 19.

~Queer bail~, worthless persons who for a consideration formerly stood bail for any one in court. Insolvent Jews generally performed this office, which gave rise to the term JEW-BAIL, otherwise STRAW BAIL.

~Queer-bit-makers~, coiners.

~Queer cuffen~, a justice of the peace, or magistrate,—a very ancient term, mentioned in the earliest slang dictionary. In this sense, as well as in that of the verb just given, the term is evidently derived from _quæro_, to inquire, to question. Quiz and _quis?_ have also an undoubted connexion.

~Queer-soft~, bad notes.

~Queer-street~, “in QUEER STREET,” in difficulty or in want.

~Querier~, a chimney-sweep who calls from house to house soliciting employment,—formerly termed KNULLER, which _see_.

~Qui-hi~, an English resident at Calcutta.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Quick sticks~, in a hurry, rapidly; “to cut QUICK STICKS,” to start off hurriedly, or without more ado. _See_ CUT ONE’S STICK.

~Quid~, or THICK UN, a sovereign; “half a QUID,” half a sovereign; QUIDS, money generally; “QUID for a QUOD,” one good turn for another. The word is used by old French writers:—

“Des testamens qu’on dit le maistre
De mon fait n’aura QUID ne QUOD.”

_Grand testament de Villon._

~Quid~, a small piece of tobacco—one mouthful. _Quid est hoc?_ asked one, tapping the swelled cheek of another; _Hoc est quid_, promptly replied the other, exhibiting at the same time a “chaw” of the weed. CUD is probably a corruption. Derivation, _O. F._, or _Norman_, QUIDER, to ruminate.

~Quid-nunc~, an inquisitive person, always seeking for news. The words translated simply signify, “What now?”

~Quiet~, “on the QUIET,” clandestinely, so as to avoid observation, “under the rose.”

~Quill-driver~, a scrivener, a clerk,—satirical phrase similar to “steel bar driver,” a tailor.

~Quiller~, a parasite, a person who sucks neatly through a quill. _See_ SUCK UP.

~Quilt~, to thrash, or beat.

~Quisby~, bankrupt, poverty-stricken. Amplification of QUEER.

~Quisi~, roguish, low, obscene.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Qui-tam~, a solicitor. _He who_, _i.e._, “he who, as much for himself as for the King,” seeks a conviction, the penalty for which goes half to the informer and half to the Crown. The term would, therefore, with greater propriety, be applied to a spy than to a solicitor.

~Quiz~, a prying person, an odd fellow. Originally Oxford slang, but now general, and lately admitted into some dictionaries. _See_ QUEER CUFFEN.

~Quiz~, to pry, or joke; to hoax.

~Quizzical~, jocose, humorous.

~Quizzing-glass~, an eyeglass. This was applied to the old single eyeglass, which was not stuck in the eye, as now, but was held in the hand.

~Quockerwodger~, a wooden toy figure which, when pulled by a string, jerks its limbs about. The term is used in a slang sense, to signify a pseudo-politician, one whose strings of action are pulled by somebody else.

~Quod~, a prison, a lock-up; QUODDED, put in prison. QUOD is really a shortening of quadrangle; so to be QUODDED is to be within four walls. The expression is, however, seldom used now except to mean in prison. At Oxford, where it is spelt QUAD, the word has its original signification.

~Quodger~, a contraction, or corruption rather, of the _Latin_ law phrase, QUO JURE? by what law?—_Legal._

~R. M. D.~, cash down, immediate payment. The initial letters of READY MONEY DOWN. Another version of this is P. Y. C. (pay your cash), often seen in the market quotations,—as, “Meat fetched 6_s._ 4_d._ a stone, P. Y. C., and 6_s._ 6_d._ for the account.”

~Rabbit~, when a person gets the worst of a bargain, he is said “to have bought the RABBIT.” From an old story about a man selling a cat to a foreigner for a rabbit.

~Racket~, a dodge, manœuvre, exhibition; a disturbance.

~Rackety~, wild or noisy.

~Racks~, the bones of a dead horse. Term used by horse-slaughterers.

~Raclan~, a married woman. Originally Gipsy, but now a term with English tramps.

~Rafe~, or RALPH, a pawnbroker’s duplicate.—_Norwich._

~Raff~, a dirty, dissipated fellow; RAFFISH, looking like a RAFF.

~Rag~, to divide or share; “let’s RAG IT,” or “go RAGS,” _i.e._, share it equally between us.—_Norwich._

~Rag~, a bank-note.

~Rag and Famish~, the Army and Navy Club. From Ensign RAG and Captain FAMISH, imaginary characters, out of whom Leech some years back obtained much amusement.

~Rag-shop~, a bank.

~Rag-splawger~, a rich man.

~Ragamuffin~, an ill-clad vagabond, a tatterdemalion.

~Rain napper~, an umbrella.

~Raise the wind~, to obtain credit, or money,—generally by pawning or selling property, but not unusually by borrowing. Sometimes varied to WHISTLE UP THE BREEZE.

~Raker~, TO GO A, is, in racing parlance, to put more money than usual on a certain horse. “Going a RAKER” often leads to “coming a cropper.”

~Ramp~, to hustle, to rob with violence, to levy blackmail in a ferocious manner; to extort by means of threats. RAMPING is generally done in gangs.

~Rampage~, TO BE ON THE, on the drink, on the loose. Dickens, in _Great Expectations_, refers to Mrs. Jo as being on the RAMPAGE when she is worse tempered than usual.

~Ramper~, a ruffian of the most brutal description, who infests racecourses and similar places on welching expeditions during summer, and finds pleasure and profit in garrotte robberies during winter.

~Ramshackle~, queer, rickety, knocked about, as standing corn is after a high wind. Corrupted from RAM-SHATTER, or possibly from RANSACK.

~Rancho~, originally a Spanish-American word, signifying a hunting-lodge, or cattle-station, in a wood or desert far from the haunts of men. A hunting or fishing station in the Highlands or elsewhere. In Washington, with their accustomed ingenuity in corrupting words and meanings, the Americans use the appellation for a place of evil report. The word is generally pronounced RANCH now.

~Randals-man.~ _See_ BILLY.

~Randan~, a boat impelled by three rowers, the midship man sculling, and the bowman and strokesman rowing with oars.

~Random~, three horses driven in line. _See_ TANDEM, SUDDEN DEATH, HARUM-SCARUM.

~Randy~, rampant, violent, warm.—_North._ RANDY-BEGGAR, a gipsy tinker.

~Rank~, to cheat. Modification of RAMP.

~Ranker~, a commissioned officer in the army who has risen from the ranks. Usually employed in a disparaging sense. Purely military. Also, among street folk, a corruption of RANK DUFFER.

~Ran-tan~, “on the RAN-TAN,” drunk.

~Rantipoll~, a noisy rude girl, a madcap.

~Rap~, a halfpenny; frequently used generically for money, thus:—“I haven’t a RAP,” _i.e._, I have no money whatever; “I don’t care a RAP,” &c. Originally a species of counterfeit coin used for small change in Ireland, against the use of which a proclamation was issued, 5th May, 1737. Small copper or base metal coins are still called RAPPEN in the Swiss cantons. Irish robbers were formerly termed RAPPAREES.

~Rap~, to utter rapidly and vehemently; “he RAPPED out a volley of oaths.”

~Rapping~, enormous; “a RAPPING big lie.”

~Rapscallion~, a low tattered wretch—not worth a RAP.

~Raree-show~, a collection of curiosities.

~Rat~, a sneak, an informer, a turn-coat, one who changes his party for interest. The late Sir Robert Peel was called the RAT, or the TAMWORTH RATCATCHER, for altering his views on the Roman Catholic question. From RATS deserting vessels about to sink. The term is often used amongst printers to denote one who works under price. Old cant for a clergyman.

~Rat~, TO SMELL A, to suspect something, to guess that there is something amiss.

~Rather!~ a ridiculous street exclamation synonymous with yes; “Do you like fried chickens?” “RATHER!” “Are you going out of town?” “RATHER!” Very often pronounced “RAYTHER!”

~Rattening~, the punishment inflicted on non-unionists by Sheffield grinders, through the instrumentality of “Mary Ann.” _See_ Parliamentary Inquiry Report on the subject.

~Rattlecap~, an unsteady, volatile person. Generally applied to girls.

~Rattler~, a cab, coach, or cart.—_Old Cant._

~Rattletrap~, the mouth. Anything shaky and mean, but pretentious and vulgar, is said to belong to the RATTLETRAP order of things.

~Rattling~, jolly, pleasant, well-appointed. “A RATTLING good spread” means an excellent repast, while a true friend is said to be a “RATTLING good fellow.”

~Raw~, a tender point, or foible; “to touch a man upon the RAW,” is to irritate one by alluding to, or joking him on, anything on which he is peculiarly susceptible or “thin-skinned.” Originally stable slang.

“Liver and bacon, kidneys, ten pounds one!
He thinks me RAW. I think I’m rather DONE.”

_Phantom Barber._

~Raw~, uninitiated; a novice.—_Old._ Frequently JOHNNY RAW.

~Reach me downs~, or HAND ME DOWNS, clothes bought at secondhand shops. From “REACH ME DOWN that, and let’s see if it fits.” In Houndsditch and other celebrated old clothes’ marts, the goods are kept hanging on pegs so as to be well within view of intending buyers.

~Reader~, a pocket-book; “Touch him for his READER,” _i.e._, rob him of his pocket-book.

~Ready~, or READY GILT (maybe GELT), money. Used by Arbuthnot—“Lord Strut was not very flush in READY.”

~Ready-reckoners~, the Highland regiments of the British army.

~Real jam~, a sporting phrase, meaning anything exceptionally good. It is said to be REAL JAM for those who back a horse at a long price, when the animal wins, or comes to a short figure.

~Recent incision~, the busy thoroughfare on the Surrey side of the Thames, known to sober people as the New Cut. Even this latter name has now been changed—if indeed the place ever was so called properly. Although to the general public the street which runs from opposite Rowland Hill’s Chapel to Westminster Bridge Road is known as the New Cut, its name to the Board of Works is Lower Marsh.

~Redge~, gold.

~Red herring~, a soldier. The terms are exchangeable, the fish being often called a “soldier.”

~Red lane~, the throat.

~Red liner~, an officer of the Mendicity Society.

~Red rag~, the tongue.

~Red un~, a gold watch.

~Redtape~, official routine. A term which was much in vogue during the Crimean campaign, so famous for War Office blunderings.

~Regulars~, a thief’s fair share of plunder.

~Reliever~, a coat worn in turn by any party of poor devils whose wardrobes are in pawn.

~Relieving Officer~, a significant term for a father.—_University._

~Renage~, to revoke, a word used in Ireland at the game of five-card.

~Rench~, vulgar pronunciation of RINSE. “(W)RENCH your mouth out,” said a fashionable dentist one day.

~Re-raw~, “on the RE-RAW,” tipsy or drunk.

~Resurrection pie~, once a school but now a common phrase, used in reference to a pie supposed to be made of the scraps and leavings that have appeared before.

~Ret~, an abbreviation of the word REITERATION, used to denote the forme which, in a printing-office, backs or perfects paper already printed on one side.

~Rhino~, ready money.—_Old._

“Some as I know,
Have parted with their ready RINO.”

_The Seaman’s Adieu_, Old Ballad, 1670.

~Rhinoceral~, rich, wealthy, abounding in RHINO. At first sound it would seem as though it meant a man abounding in rhinoceroses.

~Rib~, a wife. Derivation, of course, Biblical.

~Ribbon~, gin, or other spirits. Modification of white satin.

~Ribbons~, the reins. “To handle the RIBBONS,” to drive.

~Ribroast~, to beat till the ribs are sore.—_Old_; but still in use:—

“And he departs, not meanly boasting
Of his magnificent RIBROASTING.”—_Hudibras._

~Rich~, spicy; also used in the sense of “too much of a good thing;” “a RICH idea,” one too absurd or unreasonable to be adopted.

~Richard~, a dictionary. _See_ DICK.

~Ride~, “to RIDE the high horse,” or “RIDE roughshod over one,” to be overbearing or oppressive; “to RIDE the black donkey,” to be in an ill humour.

~Rider~, in a University examination, a problem or question appended to another, as directly arising from or dependent on it;—beginning to be generally used for any corollary or position which naturally arises from any previous statement or evidence.

~Rider~, a supplementary clause in a document.

~Riff-raff~, low, vulgar rabble.

~Rig~, or trick, “spree,” or performance; “run a RIG,” to play a trick.—_See_ JOHN GILPIN. “RIG the market,” in reality to play tricks with it,—a mercantile slang phrase often used in the newspapers.

~Rigged~, “well RIGGED,” well dressed.—_Old Slang_, in use in 1736. _See Bailey’s Dictionary.—Sea._

~Rigging~, a process well known in connexion with sales by auction, by which articles are secured at prices considerably below their real value. _See_ KNOCK-OUTS. To RIG the market is to do similar business on a larger scale for the purpose of affecting the supplies, and thereby increasing the profits on an original purchase of the goods thus made scarce.

~Right as ninepence~, or NICE AS NINEPENCE (possible corruption of NINE-PINS), quite right, exactly right, comfortable. _See_ NINEPENCE.

~Right you are~, a phrase implying entire acquiescence in what has been said or done. The expression is singularly frequent and general amongst the lower and middle classes of the metropolis.

~Rights~, “to have one to RIGHTS,” to be even with him, to serve him out properly. “TO RIGHTS” is also an ejaculation signifying satisfaction of the highest order.

~Rigmarole~, a prolix story.

~Rile~, to offend, to render very cross, irritated, or vexed. Properly, to render liquor turbid.

~Ring~, to change; “RINGING castors,” changing hats; “to RING the changes,” in low life means to change bad money for good; in respectable society the phrase is sometimes employed to denote that the aggressor has been paid back in his own coin, as in practical joking, when the laugh is turned against the jester. The expression originally came from the belfry.

~Ring~, a generic term given to horse-racing and pugilism,—the latter was sometimes termed the PRIZE-RING. From the rings used for betting and fighting in, respectively.

~Ring~, formerly “to go through the RING,” to take advantage of the Insolvency Act, or be “whitewashed.” Now obsolete.

~Ring~, the open space in front of a racecourse stand, which is used for betting purposes. Betting men are nowadays known as members of the ring, especially if they are in the habit of attending race-meetings. RING, in America, is a combination of speculators whose object is to force the market for their own especial benefit without any regard to order or decency. We have similar arrangements here, but hitherto no one word has fairly described them.

~Ringdropping~, is a pursuit to which London “magsmen” and “street-muggers” are prone. A ring or other spurious article is supposed to be found just in front of a “soft-looking party,” and he or she is tempted to buy it at less than half its supposed value.

~Rip~, a rake, “an old RIP,” an old libertine, or a debauchee. Corruption of REPROBATE.

~Rip~, to go at a rare pace. This is an American term, and often means to burst up. “Let her RIP, I’m insured.”

~Ripper~, a first-rate man or article.—_Provincial._

~Ripping~, excellent, very good. Equivalent to “stunning.”

~Rise~, “to take a RISE out of a person.” A metaphor from fly-fishing, the silly fish RISING to be caught by an artificial fly; to mortify, outwit, or cheat him, by superior cunning.

“There is only one thing, unfortunately, of which Oxford men are
economical, and that is, their University experience. They not only
think it fair that Freshmen should go through their ordeal unaided,
but many have a sweet satisfaction in their distresses, and even
busy themselves in obtaining elevations, or, as it is vulgarly
termed, in ‘getting RISES out of them.’”—_Hints to Freshmen_,
Oxford, 1843.

~Rise, or raise, a Barney~, to collect a mob; term used by patterers and “schwassle-box” (Punch and Judy) men.

~Roarer~, a broken-winded horse; or, in the more polite speech of the stable, “a high blower.” ROARING, as applied to horses, is often termed “talking” by turf-men. It is often said delicately by sporting writers, when speaking of a broken-winded racehorse, that “he makes a noise.”

~Roaring trade~, a very successful business.—_Shopkeepers’ Slang._

~Roast~, to expose a person to a running fire of jokes for the amusement and with the assistance of a whole company. A performance not indulged in by gentlemen. QUIZZING is done by a single person only.

~Robin redbreast~, the ancient Bow Street runner. So called from the colour of his waistcoat.

~Rock-a-low~, an overcoat. Corruption of the _French_, ROQUELAURE.

~Rocked~, “he’s only HALF-ROCKED,” _i.e._, half-witted. _See_ HALF-ROCKED.

~Rogue’s yarn~, a thread of red or blue worsted, worked into the ropes manufactured in the Government dockyards, to identify them if stolen. Also a blue thread worked into canvas, for the same purpose.

~Roll of snow~, a piece of linen, or bundle of underclothing.

~Romany~, a gipsy, or the gipsy language; the speech of the Roma or Zincali.—_Spanish Gipsy._ “Can you patter ROMANY?” _i.e._, can you talk “black,” or gipsy lingo?

~Rook~, a cheat, or tricky gambler; the opposite of “pigeon.”

~Rook~, to cheat, to play “rook” to another’s “pigeon.”

~Rook~, a clergyman, not only from his black attire, but also, perhaps, from the old nursery favourite, the _History of Cock Robin_.

“I, says the ROOK,
With my little book,
I’ll be the parson.”

~Rookery~, a low neighbourhood inhabited by dirty Irish and thieves—as St. Giles’s ROOKERY.—_Old._ In military slang that part of the barracks occupied by subalterns, often by no means a pattern of good order.

~Rooky~, rascally, rakish, scampish.

~Roost~, synonymous with PERCH, which _see_.

~Rooster~, a cock, whether bantam, game, barndoor, or of any other kind. This is an Americanism which obtains full currency on the other side of the Atlantic, though its use would infer that hens do not roost. As the outcome of transpontine delicacy it must, however, be respected.

~Rooter~, anything good, or of a prime quality; “that is a ROOTER,” _i.e._, a first-rate one of the sort.

~Rope~, to lose a race of any kind purposely, to swindle one’s backers or the public by means of a “cross” or pre-arranged race, in which the best man or best horse is made to ROPE, or run behind.

~Roper~, MISTRESS, “to marry MRS. ROPER” is to enlist in the Royal Marines.

~Ropes~, the ways of London lower life. “To know the ROPES,” is to be conversant with the minutiæ of metropolitan dodges, as regards both the streets and the sporting world.

~Roping~, the act of pulling or restraining a horse, by its rider, to prevent its winning a race—a trick not unfrequently practised on the turf. Also when a pedestrian or other athlete loses where he should have won, according to his backer’s calculations, he is accused of ROPING.

~Rose~, “under the rose” (frequently used in its _Latin_ form, _sub rosâ_), _i.e._, under the obligation of silence and secrecy, of which the rose was anciently an emblem, perhaps, as Sir Thomas Browne remarks, from the closeness with which its petals are enfolded in the bud. The Rose of Venus was given, says the classic legend, to Harpocrates, the God of Silence, by Cupid, as a bribe to keep silent about the goddess’s amours. It was commonly sculptured on the ceilings of banqueting rooms, as a sign that what was said in free conversation there was not afterwards to be divulged; and about 1526 was placed over the Roman confessionals as an emblem of secrecy. The White Rose was also an emblem of the Pretender, whose health, as king, his secret adherents used to drink “under the ROSE.”

~Rosin~, beer or other drink given to musicians at a dancing party.

~Rosin-the-bow~, a fiddler. From a famous old song of that name.

~Rot~, nonsense, anything bad, disagreeable, or useless.

~Rot-gut~, bad, small beer. _See_ BUMCLINK. In America, cheap whisky.

~Rough~, bad; “ROUGH fish,” bad or stinking fish.—_Billingsgate._

~Rough-it~, to put up with chance entertainment, to take pot-luck and what accommodation “turns up,” without sighing for better.

~Roughs~, coarse, or vulgar men. By many thought to be RUFF, corruption of RUFFIAN.

~Rouleau~, a packet of sovereigns.—_Gaming._

~Round~, to tell tales, to SPLIT, which _see_; “to ROUND on a man,” to swear to him as being the person, &c. Synonymous with BUFF, which _see_. Also to turn round upon and abuse or rate. Shakspeare has ROUNDING, whispering.

~Round~, “ROUND dealing,” honest trading; “ROUND sum,” a large sum. Synonymous also, in a slang sense, with SQUARE, which _see_.

~Round~ (in the language of the street), the beat or usual walk of a costermonger to sell his stock. A term used by street folk generally.

“Watchmen, sometimes they made their sallies,
And walk’d their ROUNDS through streets and allies.”

_Ned Ward’s Vulgus Britannicus_, 1710.

The word “beat” has, so far as our modern guardians are concerned, deposed “round.”

~Round robin~, a petition, or paper of remonstrance, with the signatures written in a circle,—to prevent the first signer, or ringleader, from being discovered.

~Round un~, an unblushingly given and well-proportioned lie. Sometimes known as a “whacker.”

~Roundabout~, a large swing with four compartments, each the size, and very much the shape, of the body of a cart, capable of seating six or eight boys and girls, erected in a high frame, and turned round by men at a windlass. Fairs and merry-makings generally abound with these swings. The frames take to pieces, and are carried in vans from fair to fair by miserable horses.

~Roundem~, a button.

~Row~, “the ROW,” _i.e._, Paternoster Row. The notorious Holywell Street is now called by its denizens “Bookseller’s Row.”

~Row~, a noisy disturbance, tumult, or trouble. Originally Cambridge, now universal. Seventy years ago it was written ROUE, which would almost indicate a French origin, from _roué_, a profligate or disturber of the peace.—_Vide_ George Parker’s _Life’s Painter_, 1789, p. 122. This is, however, very unlikely, as the derivation of the French word shows.

~Rowdy~, money. In America, a ruffian, a brawler, a “rough.” Rowdyism is the state of being of New York roughs and loafers.

~Rowdy-dow~, low, vulgar “not the CHEESE,” or thing.

~Rub~, a quarrel or impediment; “there’s the RUB,” _i.e._, that is the difficulty.—_Shakspeare and L’Estrange._

~Rubbed out~, dead,—a melancholy expression, of late frequently used in fashionable novels. RUBBED OUT is synonymous with WIPED OUT, which _see_.

~Rubber~, a term at whist, &c., the best of three games.

~Ruck~, the undistinguished crowd; “to come in with the RUCK,” to arrive at the winning-post among the thick of the unplaced horses.—_Racing term._

~Ruction~, an Irish row. A faction fight.

~Ruggy~, fusty, frowsy.

~Rule.~ “To run the RULE over,” is, among thieves, to try all a person’s pockets quietly, as done by themselves, or to search any one thoroughly, as at the police-station.

~Rule the roast~, to be at the head of affairs, to be “cock of the walk.”

~Rum~, like its opposite, QUEER, was formerly a much-used prefix, signifying fine, good, gallant, or valuable; perhaps in some way connected with ROME. Nowadays it means indifferent, bad, or questionable, and we often hear even persons in polite society use such a phrase as, “What a RUM fellow he is, to be sure,” in speaking of a man of singular habits or appearance. The term, from its frequent use, long since claimed a place in our dictionaries; but, with the exception of Johnson, who says RUM, a cant word for a clergyman(!), no lexicographer has deigned to notice it.

“Thus RUMLY floor’d, the kind Acestes ran,
And pitying, raised from earth the game old man.”

_Virgil’s Æneid_, book v., Translation _by Thomas Moore_.

~Rum cull~, the manager of a theatre, generally the master of a travelling troop.

~Rumbler~, a four-wheeled cab. Not so common as BOUNDER. _See_ GROWLER.

~Rumbowling~, anything inferior or adulterated.—_Sea._

~Rumbumptious~, haughty, pugilistic.

~Rumbustious~, or RUMBUSTICAL, pompous, haughty, boisterous, careless of the comfort of others.

~Rumgumption~, or GUMPTION, knowledge, capacity, capability,—hence, RUMGUMPTIOUS, knowing, wide-awake, forward, positive, pert, blunt.

~Rum-mizzler~, Seven Dials cant for a person who is clever at making his escape, or getting out of a difficulty.

~Rump~, to turn the back upon any one. A still more decided “cut direct” than the “cold shoulder.”

~Rumpus~, a noise, disturbance, a “row.”

~Rum-slim~, or RUM SLING, rum punch.

~Rumy~, a good woman or girl.—_Gipsy Cant._ In the Continental _Gipsy_, ROMI, a woman, a wife, is the feminine of RO, a man.

~Run~ (good or bad), the success or duration of a piece’s performance.—_Theatrical._

~Run~, to comprehend, &c.; “I don’t RUN to it,” _i.e._, I can’t do it, I don’t understand; also not money enough, as, “I should like to, but it wont RUN to it.”

~Run~, “to get the RUN upon any person,” to have the upper hand, or be able to laugh at him. RUN down, to abuse or backbite any one; to “lord it,” or “drive over” him. Originally stable slang.

~Run for the money~, TO HAVE A, to have a start given in with a bet. As 20 to 1 against Doncaster, with a RUN given. _See_ P.P. To have a RUN FOR ONE’S MONEY is also to have a good determined struggle for anything.

~Run-in~, to lock up in the station-house. The police are very fond of threatening to RUN-IN any person to whom they may take exception, and, as recent revelations have shown, are by no means averse from putting their threats into execution.

~Running patterer~, a street seller who runs or moves briskly along, calling aloud his wares.

~Running stationer~, a hawker of books, ballads, dying speeches, and newspapers. Persons of this class formerly used to run with newspapers, blowing a horn, when they were sometimes termed FLYING STATIONERS. Nowadays, in the event of any political or social disturbance, the miserable relics of these peripatetic newsmen bawl the heads of the telegram or information in quiet London thoroughfares, to the disturbance of the residents. The race is very nearly extinct, the evening-paper boys having run them to earth.

~Rush~, to come upon suddenly, generally for the purpose of borrowing. To “give a man the RUSH,” is to spunge upon him all day, and then borrow money at the finish, or pursue some such similar mode of procedure.

~Rush~, “doing it on the RUSH,” running away, or making off.

~Rust~, “to nab the RUST,” to take offence. RUSTY, cross, ill-tempered, morose; not able to go through life like a person of easy and “polished” manners.

~Rustication~, the sending of an offender from the University for one term or more, thus hindering his qualifying for a degree.

~Rusty guts~, a blunt, rough, old fellow. Corruption of RUSTICUS.

~Rye.~ Gipsy term for a young man. In the same parlance “rawnie” is a young woman.

~Sack~, to “get the SACK,” to be discharged by an employer. Varied in the North of England to “get the BAG.” In London it is sometimes spoken of as “getting the EMPTY.” It is common now to speak of “getting the BULLET,” an evident play on the word discharge.

~Sad dog~, a merry fellow, a joker, a “gay” or “fast” man.

~Saddle~, an additional charge made by the manager to a performer upon his benefit night.—_Theatrical._

~Safe~, trusty, worthy of confidence. A SAFE card is a man who knows “what’s o’clock.” A SAFE man among betters is one who is sure to fulfil his engagements.

~Safe un~, a horse which will not run, or will not try, in a race. The bookmakers in London have the information sent them by the touts in their pay, and lay against the SAFE UN, who is also called a “stiff un,” a “dead un,” or a “shtumer,” as often as they can, irrespective of the state of their books. Sometimes a SAFE UN will win, owing to the owner or trainer having, for various reasons, altered his mind. Such a result then goes to prove the “glorious uncertainty of the turf,” a phrase in very common use among sporting writers whenever a favourite is beaten, or whenever a horse runs slow one day and loses, and very fast the next day and wins.

~Sails~, nickname for the sail-maker on board ship.

~St. Martin’s lace~, imitation gold lace; stage tinsel.

~Saint Monday~, a holiday most religiously observed by journeymen shoemakers and other mechanics. An Irishman observed that this saint’s anniversary happened every week. In some parts of the country Monday is termed Cobblers’ Sunday.

~Sal~, a salary.—_Theatrical._

~Salaam~, a compliment or salutation.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Salamander~, a street acrobat and juggler who eats fire.

~Saloop~, SALEP, or SALOP, a greasy-looking beverage, formerly sold on stalls at early morning, prepared from a powder made of the root of the _Orchis mascula_, or Red-handed Orchis. Coffee-stands have superseded SALOOP stalls; but, in addition to other writers, Charles Lamb, in one of his papers, has left some account of this drinkable, which he says was of all preparations the most grateful to the stomachs of young chimney-sweeps. The present generation has no knowledge of this drink, except that derived from books. The word “slops”—as applied to weak, warm drink—is very likely derived from the Cockney pronunciation of SALOOP.

~Salt~, a sailor.

~Salt~, “it’s rather too SALT,” said of an extravagant hotel bill. Also, a sort of black mail or tribute levied on visitors or travellers by the Eton boys, at their triennial festival called the “Montem,” by ancient custom and privileges. It is now abolished. A periodical published at Eton many years ago for circulation amongst the boys was called “_The SALT-box_.” When a person about to sell a business connexion makes fictitious entries in the books of accounts, to simulate that a much more profitable trade is carried on than there really is, he is said to SALT the books—SALTING and COOKING being somewhat similar operations. At the gold diggings of Australia, miners sometimes SALT an unproductive hole by sprinkling a few grains of gold-dust over it, and thus obtain a good price from a “green hand.” Unpromising speculations are frequently thus SALTED to entrap the unwary, the wildest ideas being rendered palatable _cum grano salis_. And though old birds are not readily caught by chaff, the efficacy of SALT in bird-catching, so far as the young are concerned, is proverbial.

~Salt-box~, the condemned cell in Newgate.

~Salt junk~, navy salt beef. _See_ OLD HORSE.

~Saltee~, a penny. Pence, &c., are thus reckoned:—

ONEY SALTEE, a penny, from the _Italian_, UNO SOLDO. DOOE SALTEE, twopence DUE SOLDI. TRAY SALTEE, threepence TRE SOLDI. QUARTERER SALTEE, fourpence QUATTRO SOLDI. CHINKER SALTEE, fivepence CINQUE SOLDI. SAY SALTEE, sixpence SEI SOLDI. SAY ONEY SALTEE, or SETTER SALTEE, sevenpence SETTE SOLDI. SAY DOOE SALTEE, or OTTER SALTEE, eightpence OTTO SOLDI. SAY TRAY SALTEE, or NOBBA SALTEE, ninepence NOVE SOLDI. SAY QUARTERER SALTEE, or DACHA SALTEE, tenpence DIECI SOLDI. SAY CHINKER SALTEE, or DACHA ONEY SALTEE, elevenpence DIECI UNO SOLDI, &c. ONEY BEONG, one shilling. A BEONG SAY SALTEE, one shilling and sixpence. DOOE BEONG SAY SALTEE, or MADZA CAROON, half-a-crown, or two shillings and sixpence.

⁂ This curious list of numerals in use among the London street folk is, strange as it may seem, derived from the _Lingua Franca_, or bastard _Italian_, of the Mediterranean seaports, of which other examples may be found in the pages of this Dictionary. SALTEE, the cant term used by the costermongers and others for a penny, is no other than the _Italian_, SOLDO (plural, SOLDI), and the numerals—as may be seen by the _Italian_ equivalents—are a tolerably close imitation of the originals. After the number six, a curious variation occurs, which is peculiar to the London cant, seven being reckoned as SAY ONEY, _six-one_, SAY DOOE, _six-two_ = 8, and so on. DACHA is perhaps from the _Greek_ δέκα, ten, which, in the Constantinopolitan _Lingua Franca_, is likely enough to have been substituted for the _Italian_. MADZA is clearly the _Italian_ MEZZA. The origin of BEONG has not yet been discovered, unless it be the _French_ BIEN, the application of which to a shilling is not so evident; but amongst costermongers and other street folk it is quite immaterial what foreign tongue contributes to their secret language. Providing the terms are unknown to the police and the public generally, they care not a rush whether the polite French, the gay Spaniards, or the cloudy Germans help to swell their vocabulary. The numbers of low foreigners, however, dragging out a miserable existence in our crowded neighbourhoods, organ grinders and image sellers, foreign seamen from the vessels in the river, and our own connexion with Malta and the Ionian Isles, may explain, to a certain extent, the phenomenon of these Southern phrases in the mouths of costers and tramps. Professor Ascoli, in his _Studj Critici_, absurdly enough derives these words from the ancient commercial importance of Italian settlers in England, when they gave a name to Lombard Street!

~Salve~, praise, flattery, chaff.

~Sam~, _i.e._, DICKY-SAM, a native of Liverpool.

~Sam~, to “stand SAM,” to pay for refreshment or drink, to stand paymaster for anything. An Americanism, originating in the letters U.S. on the knapsacks of the United States’ soldiers, which letters were jocularly said to be the initials of Uncle Sam (the Government), who pays for all. In use in this country as early as 1827.

~Sammy~, a stupid fellow.

~Sampan~, a small boat.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Samshoo~, a fiery, noxious spirit, distilled from rice. Spirits generally.—_Anglo-Chinese._

~Samson and Abel~, a group of wrestlers in the centre of Brasenose quadrangle. Some said it represented Samson killing a Philistine; others Cain killing Abel. So the matter was compromised as above.—_Oxford University._

~Sandwich~, a human advertising medium, placed between two boards strapped, one on his breast the other on his shoulders. A “toad in the hole” is the term applied to the same individual when his person is confined by a four-sided box. A gentleman with a lady on each arm is sometimes called a SANDWICH. The French phrase for this kind of SANDWICH, _l’âne à deux pannières_, is expressive.

~Sanguinary James~, a raw sheep’s-head. _See_ BLOODY JEMMY.

~Sank work~, tailors’ phrase for soldiers’ clothes. Perhaps from the _Norman_ SANC, blood,—in allusion either to the soldier’s calling, or the colour of his coat.

~Sap~, or SAPSCULL, a poor green simpleton, with no heart for work.

~Sappy~, soft, foolish, namby-pamby, milk-and-watery. “It’s such a SAPPY book.”

~Satin~, gin; “a yard of SATIN,” a glass of gin. Term used by females on make-believe errands, when the real object of their departure from home is to replenish the private bottle. With servants the words “tape” and “ribbon” are more common, the purchase of these feminine requirements being the general excuse for asking to “run out for a little while.” _See_ WHITE SATIN.

~Saucebox~, a pert young person. In low life it also signifies the mouth.

~Save~, to give part of one bet for part of another. A. and B. have backed different horses, and they agree that in the event of either one winning he shall give the other, say, £5. This is called “SAVING a fiver,” and generally is done when scratchings and knockings-out have left the field so that one of the two speculators must be a winner. The practice also obtains much in competitions decided in heats or rounds, in the course of which backers and layers comparing their prospects often “SAVE a bit” with each other. Saving is, therefore, a form of hedging.

~Saveloy~, a sausage of bread and chopped beef smoked, a minor kind of POLONY, which _see_.

~Savvey~, to know; “do you SAVVEY that?” _Spanish_, SABE. In the nigger and _Anglo-Chinese patois_, this is SABBY, “me no SABBY.” It is a general word among the lower classes all over the world. It also means acuteness or cleverness; as, “That fellow has plenty of SAVVEY.”

~Saw~, a term at whist. A SAW is established when two partners alternately trump a suit, played to each other for the express purpose.

~Saw your timber~, “be off!” equivalent to “cut your stick.” Occasionally varied, with mock refinement, to “amputate your mahogany.” _See_ CUT.

~Sawbones~, a surgeon.

~Sawney~, or SANDY, a Scotchman. Corruption of Alexander.

~Sawney~, a simpleton; a gaping, awkward lout.

~Sawney~, bacon. SAWNEY HUNTER, one who steals bacon.

~Scab~, a worthless person.—_Old._ Shakspeare uses “scald” in a similar sense.

~Scab-raiser~, a drummer in the army, so called from one of the duties formerly pertaining to that office, viz., inflicting corporal punishment on the soldiers.—_Military._

~Scabby neck~, a native of Denmark.—_Sea._

~Scabby-sheep~, epithet applied by the vulgar to a person who has been in questionable society, or under unholy influence, and become tainted. Also a mean disreputable fellow.

~Scaldrum dodge~, a dodge in use among begging impostors of burning the body with a mixture of acids and gunpowder, so as to suit the hues and complexions of any accident to be deplored by a confiding public.

~Scaly~, shabby, or mean. Perhaps anything which betokens the presence of the “Old Serpent,” or it may be a variation of “fishy.”

~Scamander~, to wander about without a settled purpose;—possibly in allusion to the winding course of the Homeric river of that name.

~Scammered~, drunk.

~Scamp~, a graceless fellow, a rascal; a wandering vagabond; scamping was formerly the cant term for plundering and thieving. A ROYAL-SCAMP was a highwayman, whilst a FOOT-SCAMP was an ordinary thief with nothing but his legs to trust to in case of an attempt at capture. Some have derived SCAMP from _qui ex campo exit_, one who leaves the field, a deserter.

~Scamp~, to give short measure or quantity; applied to dishonest contractors. Also to hurry through a task in a way which precludes the possibility of its being done well. Probably the same as SKIMP and SCRIMP.

~Scandal-water~, tea; from old maids’ tea-parties being generally a focus for scandal.

~Scaramouch~, properly a tumbler, or SALTIMBANCO. Also a disreputable fellow.

~Scarborough-warning~, a warning given too late to be taken advantage of. When a person is driven over, and then told to keep out of the way, he receives SCARBOROUGH-WARNING. Fuller says the proverb alludes to an event which happened at that place in 1557, when Thomas Stafford seized upon Scarborough Castle before the townsmen had the least notice of his approach.

~Scarce~, TO MAKE ONESELF; to be off; to decamp.

~Scarlet fever~, the desire felt by young ladies to flirt with officers in preference to civilians.

~Scarlet-town~, Reading, in Berkshire. As the name of this place is pronounced Redding, SCARLET-TOWN is probably a rude pun upon it.

~Scarper~, to run away; _Spanish_, ESCAPAR, to escape, make off; _Italian_, SCAPPARE. “SCARPER with the feeley of the donna of the carzey,” to run away with the daughter of the landlady of the house; almost pure _Italian_, “SCAPPARE COLLA FIGLIA DELLA DONNA DELLA CASA.”—_Seven Dials and Prison Cant_, from the _Lingua Franca_.

~Schism-shop~, a Dissenters’ meeting-house.—_University._

~Schofel~, bad money. _See_ SHOFUL.

~School~, a knot of men or boys; generally a body of idlers or street gamblers. Also, two or more “patterers” working together in the streets.

~Schroff~, a banker, treasurer, or confidential clerk.—_Anglo-Indian._

~Schwassle box~, the street arrangement for Punch and Judy. _See_ SWATCHEL-COVE.

~Sconce~, the head; judgment, sense.—_Dutch._

~Sconce~, to fine. Used by Dons as well as undergrads. The Dons fined or SCONCED for small offences; _e.g._, five shillings for wearing a coloured coat in hall at dinner-time. Among undergrads a pun, or an oath, or an indecent remark, was SCONCED by the head of the table. If the offender could, however, floor the tankard of beer which he was SCONCED, he could retort on his SCONCER to the extent of twice the amount he was SCONCED in.—_Oxford University._

~Score~, a reckoning, “to run up a SCORE at a public-house,” to obtain credit there until pay-day, or a fixed time, when the debt must be “wiped off.” From the old practice of scoring a tippler’s indebtedness on the inside of a public-house door.

~Scorf~, to eat voraciously.

~Scot~, a quantity of anything, a lot, a share.—_Anglo-Saxon_, SCEAT, pronounced SHOT.

~Scot~, temper, or passion,—from the irascible temperament of the Scotch; “Oh! what a SCOT he was in,” _i.e._, what temper he showed.

~Scotch coffee~, biscuits toasted and boiled in water. A gross calumny on the much-enduring Scotians; a supposed joke on their parsimony.—_Sea._

~Scotch fiddle~, the itch; “to play the SCOTCH FIDDLE,” to work the index finger of the right hand like a fiddlestick between the index and middle finger of the left. This provokes a Scotchman in the highest degree, as it implies that he is afflicted with the itch. It is supposed that a continuous oatmeal diet is productive of cutaneous affection.

~Scotch greys~, lice. Our northern neighbours were calumniously reported, in the “good old times” of ignorance and prejudice, to be peculiarly liable to cutaneous eruptions and parasites.

~Scotches~, the legs; also synonymous with notches.

~Scout~, a college valet, or waiter.—_Oxford._ _See_ GYP.

~Scout~, the male servant, who generally has a staircase under his charge, and waits on the men in each set of rooms. The female servant (not unfrequently his wife or daughter) is the bedmaker.—_University._

~Scrag~, the neck.—_Old Cant._ _Scotch_, CRAIG. Still used by butchers. Hence, SCRAG, to hang by the neck, and SCRAGGING, an execution,—also _Old Cant_.

~Scran~, pieces of meat, broken victuals. Formerly the reckoning at a public-house. SCRANNING, or “out on the SCRAN,” begging for broken victuals. Also, an Irish malediction of a mild sort, “Bad SCRAN to yer!” _i.e._, bad food to you.

~Scran-bag~, a soldier’s haversack.—_Military Slang._

~Scrap~, to fight. Also used as a substantive. Prize-fighters are often known as SCRAPPERS.

~Scrape~, a difficulty; SCRAPE, low wit for a shave.

~Scrape~, cheap butter; also butter laid on bread in the thinnest possible manner, as though it had been laid on and scraped off again. “Bread and SCRAPE,” the bread and butter issued to schoolboys,—so called from the manner in which the butter is laid on.

~Scratch~, an imaginary meeting-point in a fight, or verbal contest; “coming up to the SCRATCH,” preparing to fight—literally approaching the line which used to be chalked on the ground to divide the ring. According to the rules of the prize ring, the toe should be placed at the SCRATCH, so the phrase often is “toeing the SCRATCH.”

~Scratch~, “no great SCRATCH,” of little worth.

~Scratch~, to strike a horse’s name out of the list of runners in a particular race. “Tomboy was SCRATCHED for the Derby at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, from which period all bets made in reference to him are void.” _See_ P.P.—_Turf._ One of Boz’s characters asks whether horses are “really made more lively by being SCRATCHED.”

~Scratch-race~ (on the turf), a race at which the horses run at catch weights, a race without restrictions. In boating, a race in which the crew are picked up anyhow. A SCRATCH crew is a crew of all sorts.