Chapter D: I. O. Damn it! I'm off

DACE. Two cents.

DADDLES. Hands.

DAGAN. A sword.

DAIRY. The breasts of a woman that suckles a baby.

DAISY-ROOTS. Boots and shoes.

DAISYVILLE. The country.

DAKMA. Silence; "Dakma the bloke, and cloy his cole," silence the man, and steal his money.

DAMBER. First.

DAMBER COVE. The head man.

DANAN. Stairs.

DANCE AT HIS DEATH. To be hung; "May he dance when he dies," may he be hanged.

DANCERS. Shooting stars; fellows who do not remain long in one place.

DANCING. Sneaking up stairs to commit a larceny.

DANGLER. A roué; a seducer.

DANGLERS. A bunch of seals.

DAPPER. Well made. "The crack was dapper."

DARBIES. Handcuffs; fetters.

DARBY. Cash. "Fork over the darby," hand over the cash.

DARK CULLEY. A man who visits his mistress only at night.

DARKEY. A dark lantern. "The coves had screwed the gig of the jug, when Jack flashed the darkey into it, and found it planted full of coppers. 'Bingavast!' was the word; some one has cackled," the thieves had opened the door of a bank with false keys, and when they looked in with the aid of a dark lantern, they found the place filled with officers. One of the thieves cried out: "Be off! some one has cackled."

DAUB. A ribbon.

DAVEY. Affidavit; to witness under oath.

DAWB. To bribe. "The bene cove was scragged, because he could not dawb the beak," the good fellow was hanged, because he could not bribe the judge.

DAY-LIGHTS. The eyes.

DEAD BEAT. Without hope; certain.

DEAD BROKE. Not a cent.

DEAD GAME. A term used by gamblers when they have a certainty of winning.

DEAD SET. A concentrated attack on a person or thing.

DEAD SWAG. Not worth so much as it was thought to be; things stolen that are not easily disposed of.

DEAD TO RIGHTS. Positively guilty, and no way of getting clear.

DEATH HUNTER. The undertaker.

DEEK THE COVE. See the fellow; look at him.

DELLS. A prostitute.

DERREY. An eye-glass.

DEVIL BOOKS. Cards.

DEW-BEATERS. The feet.

DEWS. A gold eagle; ten dollars.

DIAL-PLATE. The face.

DIARY. To remember; to enter in a book. "I'll diary the joskin," I'll remember the fool.

DIB. Portion or share.

DIBS. Money.

DIDDLE. Liquor.

DIDDLE COVE. A landlord.

DIE. Dummy, or pocket-book.

DIFT COVE. A neat little man.

DIGGERS. Finger-nails.

DIMBER. Handsome; pretty.

DIMBER-MORT. Pretty girl; enchanting girl.

DING. To throw away; to strike.

DIP. A kiss in the dark; a pickpocket.

DIP. To pick a pocket; the act of putting a hand into a pocket.

DIPT. Pawned.

DISMAL DITTY. The psalm or hymn sung by persons just before they are hanged.

DISPATCH. A mittimus; a warrant of arrest.

DIVER. A pickpocket.

DIVING. Picking pockets.

DIVING-BELL. A rum-shop in a basement.

DOASH. A cloak.

DOBING LAY. To steal from stores early in the morning. Two thieves enter a store, as soon as the porter opens it; one of them inquires about some goods he pretends he was looking at the day before, and wishes to see them. The goods inquired for are either in the back of the store or up stairs. In the absence of the porter, the other fellow robs the store.

DOCTOR GREEN. A young inexperienced fellow.

DOCTORS. False cards or dice.

DOG-NIPPERS. Rogues who steal dogs, and restore them to their owners after a reward has been offered.

DOGS-PASTE. Sausage-meat; mince meat.

DOING POLLY. Picking oakum in prison.

DOLLY SHOP. A loan office.

DOMESTIC. Made at home. The man robbed himself; some one in the house assisted the thieves. "You may look at home for the thief."

DOMMERER. A fellow that pretends to be deaf and dumb.

DONBITE. A street.

DONE. Convicted.

DONKEY-RIDING. Cheating in weight or measure; miscounting.

DONNEZ. To give.

DOOKIN COVE. A fortune-teller.

DOPEY. A thief's mistress.

DOSE. Burglary.

DOSS. A bed. "The badger got under the doss, and frisked the bloke's pokes of two centuries and a half, and then bounced the flat till he mizzled."

DOTS. Money.

DOWN. Hatred; dislike; vindictive; to suspect another. "The copper cutty-eyed me and measured my mug, and is down on the job," the officer looked at me from the corners of his eyes, and examined my face; he suspects what we are about.

DOWNER. A five cent piece.

DOWNEY. A smooth, pleasant talker; a knowing fellow.

DOWSE. To strike. "Dowse his mug." hit his face.

DOXIE. A girl.

DRAB. A nasty woman.

DRAG. A cart or wagon.

DRAGGING. Stealing from shop-doors.

DRAGONS. Sovereigns; gold coins.

DRAGSMAN. A thief that steals from express wagons and carts; also trunks from the back of coaches. They sometimes have a fast horse and light wagon.

DRAW. } Picking pockets. "I say, my kinchin, DRAWING. } what's your lay?" "Vy, yer see, } as how I am learning to draw."

DRAY. Three.

DROMEDARY. A clumsy, blundering fellow.

DROPS, or DROPPERS. Fellows that cheat countrymen by dropping a pocket-book filled with bad money, near their heels, and then pretend that they found it. By the aid of an accomplice, the countryman is induced to purchase it, with the avowed intention of finding the real owner, believing it to contain good money.

DROPT DOWN. Low-spirited. "The kiddy dropt down when he went to be scragged," the youngster was very low-spirited when he walked out to be hanged.

DRUM. A drinking-place.

DRUMSTICK. A club.

DRY UP. Be silent; stop that.

DUB. A key; a picklock.

DUB LAY. Robbing houses by picking the locks.

DUB O' THE HICK. A blow on the head. The copper tipt the dromedary a dub o' the hick with his drum-stick.

DUB THE JIGGER. Open the door.

DUBLER. A picker of locks.

DUCE. Two cents; two.

DUDS. Clothes.

DUFF. Pudding.

DUFFER. A fellow, in the dress of a sailor, who knocks at the basement-door, and inquires if the lady of the house does not want to buy some smuggled goods, and then exhibits imitation silks, satins, Irish linens, etc., etc., which he pretends to have run ashore without the knowledge of the custom-house officers.

DUKES. The hands.

DUMMY. A pocket-book; a portmonnaie. "Frisk the dummy of the screens, ding it and bolt; they are crying out beef," take out the money and throw the pocket-book away; run, they are crying, stop thief!

DUN. A _very importunate_ creditor. Dunny, in the provincial dialect of several counties in England, signifies _deaf_; to dun, then, perhaps may mean to deafen with _importunate demands_; it may have been derived from the word _donnez_, which signifies _give_. But the word undoubtedly originated in the days of one Joe Dun, a famous bailiff of the town of Lincoln, England, who was so extremely active and dexterous in his business, that it became a proverb, when a man refused to pay, to say, "Why don't you Dun him?" that is, send Dun after him. Hence it became a cant word, and is now as old as the days of Henry VII. Dun was also the name for the hangman, before that of Jack Ketch.

"And presently a halter got,
Made of the best strong hempen teer,
And ere a cat could lick her ear,
Had tied it up with as much art,
As Dun himself could do for's heart."

_Cotton's Virgil Trav._ Book IV.

DUNEKER. A thief that steals cattle.

DUNNAKIN. It can't be helped; necessary.

DUNNEY. Deaf; to dun.

DUNNOCK. A cow.

DURIA. Fire.

DUSTMAN. Dead man. "Poor Bill is a dustman; he was a bene cove," poor Bill is dead; he was a good man.

DUSTY. Dangerous. "Two fly-cops and a beak tumbled to us, and Bill thought as how it was rather dusty, and so, shady was the word," two detectives and a magistrate came upon us suddenly; Bill said it was rather dangerous, and so we got out of sight.

E

EARTH-BATH. A grave.

EASE. To rob.

EASE THE COVE. Rob the man.

EASON. To tell.

EASY. Killed. "Make the cull easy," kill him; gag him.

EAT. To take back; to recall; to retract; to unsay.

EAVES. A hen-roost; a poultry-house.

EAVESDROPPER. A mean fellow; a petty larceny vagabond.

EDGE. Encourage; persuade; induce.

EGROTAT. He is sick.

ELBOW. Turn the corner; get out of sight.

ELBOW-SHAKER. A man that gambles with dice.

ELEPHANT. The fellow has an enormous booty, and knows not how to secrete it. If he had less, he would be able to save more.

ELFEN. Walk light; on tiptoe.

EMPEROR. A drunken man.

ENGLISH BURGUNDY. London porter.

EQUIPT. Rich; full of money; well dressed, "The cull equipped me with a deuce of finifs," the man gave me two five-dollar bills.

ERIFFS. Young thieves; minor rogues.

ETERNITY-BOX. A coffin.

EVERLASTING. The treadmill.

EVIL. A wife; a halter; matrimony.

EWE. An old woman dressed like a young girl, "An old ewe dressed lamb fashion." "A white ewe," a beautiful woman.

EXECUTION-DAY. Wash-day; cleaning house.

EYE. Nonsense; humbug.

F

FACER. A glass filled so full that there is no room for the lip; a staller, or one who places himself in the way of persons who are in hot pursuit of his accomplices.

FADGE. It won't do, "It won't fadge."

FAG. A lawyer's clerk; to beat. "Fag the flat," beat the fool.

FAGGER. A small boy put into a window to rob the house, or to open it for others to rob.

FAGGOT. To bind. "Faggot the culls," bind the men.

FAIKING. Cutting out the wards of a key.

FAITHFUL. A tailor that gives long credit. "I say, Sam, what kind of crib was that you cracked?" "Oh! it belonged to one of the faithful."

FAKEMENT. A written or printed paper; the written deposition of a witness.

FAKER. A jeweller.

FAM GRASP. To shake hands. "Fam grasp the cove," shake hands with the fellow.

FAM LAY. Thieves who rob jewellers' stores by pretending to want to make a purchase.

FAMILY-MAN. A receiver of stolen goods from a dwelling-house.

FAMLY-MAN. Connected with thieves.

FAMS. Hands.

FAN. A waistcoat.

FANNY BLAIR. The hair.

FARMER. An alderman.

FASTNER. A warrant.

FAT. Money.

FATERS. Fortune-tellers.

FEEDERS. Silver spoons or forks. "Nap the feeders," steal the spoons.

FEINT. A pawn-broker.

FEKER. Trade; profession.

FEN. A common woman.

FENCE. A receiver of stolen goods; to sell stolen goods. "The bloke fenced the swag for five cases," the fellow sold the plunder for five dollars.

FENCED. Sold.

FERM. A hole.

FIB. To beat. "Fib the bloke's quarron in the rum-pad, and draw the honey in his poke," beat the fellow's carcase in the street, and steal the money in his pocket.

FIBBING. Striking with the fist.

FIDLAM BENS. Thieves who have no particular lay, whose every finger is a fish-hook; fellows that will steal any thing they can remove.

FIDLAM COVES. Small thieves who steal any thing they can lay hands on.

FIGDEAN. To kill.

FIGGER. A juvenile thief put through side-lights at outside doors to unbolt the door and admit other thieves to the house.

FIGGING LAW. The art of picking pockets.

FIGNER. A small thief.

FIGURE-DANCER. One who alters the numbers or figures on bank-bills.

FILE. A pick-pocket. The file is one who is generally accompanied by two others, one of whom is called the "Adam tyler;" and the other the "bulker," or "staller." It is their business to jostle, or "ramp" the victim, while the "file" picks his pocket and then hands the plunder to the Adam tyler, who makes off with it.

FINE. Imprisoned. "The cove had a fine of two stretchers and a half imposed upon him for relieving a joskin of a load of cole," the fellow was sentenced to imprisonment for stealing a countryman's money.

FINGER-BETTER. A fellow who wants to bet on credit, and indicates the favorite card by pointing to it with his finger.

FINNIFF. Five dollars.

FIRE. Danger. "This place is all on fire; I must pad like a bull or the cops will nail me," every body is after me in this place; I must run like a locomotive or the officers will arrest me.

FISH. A seaman.

FITTER. A fellow that fits keys to locks for burglars.

FIZZLE. To escape. "The cove made a fizzle," the fellow escaped.

FIZZLED. Broke up; fell through.

FLAG ABOUT. A low strumpet.

FLAM. To humbug. "Flam the bloke," humbug the fellow.

FLAME. A mistress.

FLAPPERS. Hands.

FLASH. Knowing; to understand another's meaning; to "patter flash," to speak knowingly.

FLASH HER DILES. Spend her money.

FLASH PANNY. A house resorted to by rogues of both sexes.

FLASH YOUR IVORY. Laugh; show your teeth.

FLASH-DRUM. A drinking-place resorted to by thieves.

FLASH-HOUSE. A house of resort for thieves.

FLASH-KEN. A thieves' boarding-house.

FLASH-MAN. A fellow that has no visible means of living, yet goes dressed in fine clothes, exhibiting a profusion of jewelry about his person.

FLAT. A man that is not acquainted with the tricks and devices of rogues.

FLATTER-TRAP. The mouth.

FLAWED. Half-drunk; quick-tempered; not exactly honest.

FLAY. To vomit.

FLESH-BROKER. A match maker; a procuress.

FLICKER. To drink. "Flicker with me," drink with me.

FLICKERING. Laughing; smiling; drinking.

FLICKING. Cutting. "Flick me some panam and caffar," cut me some bread and cheese. "Flick the Peter and rake the swag, for I want to pad my beaters," cut the portmanteau and divide the plunder, I want to walk my boots, (to be off.)

FLIMP. To tussel; to wrestle.

FLIMPING. Garroting; highway robbery.

FLIMSEY. A bank-note.

FLING. To get the best of another. "The sharp will fling the bloke," the rogue will cheat the man.

FLOORERS or TRIPPERS. Fellows that cause persons to slip or fall in the street, and then, while assisting them up, steal their watch or portmonnaie. They are sometimes called "rampers." A gentleman in a hurry on his way to the bank, or any other place of business, is suddenly stopped by a fellow directly in front of him, going in an opposite direction to himself, who has apparently slipped or stumbled, and in endeavoring to save himself from falling, thrusts his head into the pit of the gentleman's stomach, thereby knocking him down. Immediately two very kind gentlemen, one on each side, assist him to rise, and when on his feet busy themselves in brushing the dirt from his clothing, during which operation they pick his pockets. Thanking his kind assistants with much profuseness, he goes on his way, and very soon afterwards finds himself minus his watch or pocket-book, and perhaps both.

FLUE-SCRAPERS. Chimney-sweeps.

FLUSH. Plenty; the cove.

FLUTE. The recorder of a city.

FLUX. To cheat; cozen; over-reach.

FLY. Knowing; up to him. "The bloke was fly, and I could not draw his fogle," the man was aware of what I wanted, and I could not steal his handkerchief.

FLY-COP. Sharp officer; an officer that is well posted; one who understands his business.

FLYERS. Shoes.

FLYING COVES. Fellows who obtain money by pretending to persons who have been robbed, that they can give them information that will be the means of recovering their lost goods.

FLYING JIGGERS. Turnpike-gates.

FOB. To cheat.

FOG. Smoke.

FOGLE. A pocket-handkerchief.

FOGLE-HUNTING. Stealing pocket-handkerchiefs.

FOGRAM. A fusty old fellow.

FOGUE. Fierce; fiery; impetuous.

FOGUS. Tobacco. "Tip me a gage of fogus," give me a cigar, or a pipe and tobacco.

FORK. A pickpocket.

FORKS. The fore and middle fingers.

FOXEY. Cunning; crafty; sly.

FOXING. To pretend to be asleep.

FOYST. A cheat.

FOYSTER. A pickpocket.

FRAMER. A shawl.

FREE. To steal.

FRENCH CREAM. Brandy--called "French cream," by the old Tabbies, when mixed with their tea.

FRIDAY. Hangman's day.

FRIDAY FACE. A dismal countenance; the face of a man who is sentenced to be executed.

FRISK. To search; to examine.

FROG. A policeman.

FROG AND TOE. The city of New-York. "Coves, let us frog and toe," coves, let us go to New-York.

FRUMPER. A sturdy blade.

FUBSEY. Plump.

FUBSEY DUMMEY. A fat pocket-book.

FULLIED. Committed for trial.

FUMBLES. Gloves.

FUN. To cheat. "To fun a man," is to cheat him.

FUNK. To frighten.

FUNKED OUT. Frightened; backed out.

FUNKERS. The very lowest order of thieves.

FUSSOCK. An old fat woman.

FUSTIAN. Wine.

G

GABBEY. A foolish fellow.

GABS. Talk.

GADDING THE HOOF. Going without shoes.

GAFF. A theatre; a fair. "The drop-coves maced the joskins at the gaff," the ring-droppers cheated the countrymen at the fair.

GAFFING. Tossing; pitching; throwing.

GAGE. Man; fellow. "Deck the gage," see the man.

GAGERS. Eyes.

GAIT. Manner; fashion; way; profession. "I say, Tim, what's your gait now?" "Why, you see, I'm on the crack," (burglary.)

GALENA. Salt pork.

GALIGASKIN. A pair of breeches.

GAM. Stealing.

GAME. The particular line of rascality the rogue is engaged in; thieving; cheating.

GAMMON. To deceive. "What rum gammon the old sharp pitched into the flat," how finely the knowing old fellow flattered the fool.

GAMMY. Bad.

GAN. The mouth or lips.

GANDER. A married man not living at home with his wife.

GANG. Company; squad; mob.

GAPESEED. Wonderful stories; any thing that will cause people to stop, look, or listen.

GARRET. The head.

GARRETTING. To rob a house by entering it through the scuttle or an upper window.

GARROTE. To choke.

GARROTERS. Fellows that rob by choking their victim. Three fellows work together in this manner: The tallest of the three steps behind the victim, and putting his right arm around the neck, compresses the windpipe, and at the same time, locks the right leg by throwing his own around it. Another of the confederates secures his hands, while the third rifles his pockets. Should the garroting be done on a public thoroughfare, where people are passing, the garroters engage in laughter and jocular remarks, as if it were a pleasant lark among friends. They sometimes sprinkle rum on and about the victim's neck and face, so as to induce persons who find him, after they have left him half-dead and stupified, to believe that he is drunk.

GATTER. Drink of any kind.

GELTER. Money.

GERMAN FLUTE. A pair of boots.

GETAWAY. A locomotive; railroad train.

GHOULS. Fellows who watch assignation-houses, and follow females that come out of them to their homes and then threaten to expose them to their husbands, relatives, or friends, if they refuse to give them not only money, but also the use of their bodies.

GIG. A door. "Dub the gig of the cosa," break open the door of the house.

GIG-LAMPS. A pair of spectacles.

GIGG. A nose. "Snitchel the bloke's gigg," smash the man's nose.

GIGGER. A lock or door. "Dub the gigger," open the door.

GIGGER-DUBBER. A turn-key; a prison-keeper.

GILFLIRT. A proud, capricious woman.

GILL. A woman.

GILT or JILT. A crowbar.

GILT-DUBBER. A hotel-thief.

GILYORE. Plenty.

GINGERLY. Cautiously.

GIP. A thief.

GLASS. An hour. "The badger piped his Moll about a glass and a half before she cribbed the flat."

GLAZE. Break the glass. "I say, Bill, you mill the glaze, and I'll touch the swag and mizzle," I say, Bill, you break the glass, and I will steal the goods and run away.

GLAZIER. A fellow that breaks windows or showcases, to steal the goods exposed for sale.

GLIB. Smooth; polite. "The bloke is glib," the fellow is polite.

GLIBE. Writing; a written agreement.

GLIM FLASHY. In a passion; savage.

GLIMMER. The fire.

GLIMS. Eyes.

GLIMSTICKS. Candlesticks.

GLUM. Sombre; low-spirited.

GLUTTON. A fellow that can stand a great deal of beating.

GNARLER. A little dog, who, by his barking, alarms the family. Gnarlers are more feared by burglars than guns or pistols.

GNOSTICS. Knowing ones; smart fellows; sharps.

GO. The fashion. "All the go," all the fashion.

GO BACK. To turn against. "He won't go back on the cove; he is staunch," he will not turn against the fellow, for he is a true man.

GO THE JUMP. Sneak into a room through the window.

GOADS. Peter Funks; cappers in.

GOATER. Dress.

GOAWAYS. Railroad trains. "The knuck was working the goaways at Jersey City, and had but just touched a bloke's leather, as the bull bellowed for the last time, and so the cove mizzled through the jigger. The flat roared beef; but it was no go, as the bull was going very mad," the pickpocket was busy in the cars at Jersey City, and had just stolen a man's pocket-book, as the locomotive blew its whistle for the last time. The thief bolted through the door, and off the cars, just as the victim had discovered his loss and cried, "stop thief!" But it was of no avail, as the locomotive was going very fast.

GOB. The mouth.

GOBSTICKS. Silver forks or spoons.

GOBSTRING. A bridle.

GODFATHERS. Jurymen; so called because they name the degrees of crime as to grand or petit larceny, etc., etc.

GOLDFINCH. Gold coin.

GONNOFF. A thief that has attained the higher walks of his profession.

GOOH. A prostitute.

GOOSEBERRY-LAY. Stealing wet clothes from clothes-lines or bushes.

GOOSEBERRY-PUDDING. Woman.

GOOSECAP. A silly fellow; a fool.

GOOSING SLUM. A brothel.

GOREE. Gold dust.

GORGER. A gentleman; a well-dressed man.

GOT HIM DOWN CLOSE. Know all about him; know where to find him.

GOT HIM DOWN FINE. Know for a certainty; Know all his antecedents.

GOVERNOR'S STIFF. A governor's pardon.

GRABBED. Arrested.

GRABBLE. To seize. "You grabble the goose-cap and I'll frisk his pokes," you seize the fool, and I'll search his pockets.

GRAFT. To work.

GRAFTING. Working; helping another to steal.

GRASSVILLE. The country.

GREASE. A bribe. "Grease the copper in the fist, and he'll be as blind as your mother," put money in the officer's hand, and he will not watch you.

GREED. Money.

GRIG. A merry fellow.

GRIM. Death; "Old Grim."

GRIN. A skeleton.

GRIPE-FIST. A broker; a miser.

GROANERS. Thieves who attend at charity sermons, and rob the congregation of their watches and purses, exchange bad hats for good ones, steal the prayer-books, etc., etc.

GROGHAM. A horse.

GROPERS. Blind men.

GROUND SWEAT. A grave.

GRUEL. Coffee.

GRUNTER. A country constable.

GUERRILLAS. This name is applied by gamblers to fellows who skin suckers when and where they can, who do not like the professional gamblers, but try to beat them, sometimes inform on them, and tell the suckers that they have been cheated.

GUMMEY-STUFF. Medicine.

GUN. To watch; to examine; to look at.

GUN. A thief.

GUNNED. Looked at; examined. "The copper gunned me as if he was fly to my mug," the officer looked at me as if he knew my face.

GUNPOWDER. A scolding or quick-tempered woman.

GUNS. Pickpockets.

GUTTER. Porter.

GUTTER-LANE. The throat.

GUY. A dark lantern.

H

HACKUM. A bravado; a slasher. "Capt. Hackum," a fellow who slashes with a bowie-knife.

HALF-A-HOG. A five-cent piece.

HALF-A-NED. A five-dollar gold piece.

HALF-A-STRETCH. Six months' imprisonment.

HAMLET. A captain of police.

HAMS. Pants.

HANDLE. Nose. "The cove flashed a rare handle to his physog." The fellow has a very large nose.

HANG BLUFF. Snuff.

HANG IT UP. Think of it; remember it.

HANG OUT. The place one lives in. "The cops scavey where we hang out," the officers know where we live.

HANGMAN'S DAY. Friday is so called from the custom of hanging people on a Friday.

HANK. To know something about a man that is disreputable. "He has a hank on the bloke whereby he sucks honey when he chooses," he knows something about the man, and therefore induces him to give him money when he chooses.

HARD. Metal.

HARD COLE. Silver or gold money.

HARDWARE. False coin.

HARE IT. Return; come back.

HARMAN. A constable.

HARMAN BEAK. The sheriff.

HARP. A woman.

HARRIDAN. A haggard old woman; a scold.

HASH. To vomit.

HATCHES. In distress; in trouble; in debt.

HAVEY CAVEY. Wavering; doubtful.

HAVIL. A sheep.

HAWK. A confidence man; a swindler.

HEAVE. To rob. "To heave a crib," to rob a house.

HEAVER. The breast or chest of a person.

HEAVERS. Persons in love.

HEAVING. Stealing; taking, "The cove was done for heaving a peter from a cart," the fellow was convicted for stealing a trunk from a cart.

HEDGE. To bet on both sides; to be friends with both sides; to pray "Good God," "Good Devil."

HEELER. An accomplice of the pocket-book dropper. The heeler stoops behind the victim, and strikes one of his heels as if by mistake; this draws his attention to the pocket-book that lies on the ground.

HEELS. To run away.

HEMP. To choke.

HEMP THE FLAT. Choke the fool.

HEN. A woman.

HERRING. All bad; all alike.

HICKEY. Tipsy; not quite drunk; elated.

HICKJOP. A fool.

HICKSAM. A countryman; a fool.

HIGH BEAK. The first judge; the president; the governor; the head official.

HIGH BLOKE. A well-dressed fellow.

HIGH GAG. Telling secrets; a fellow that whispers.

HIGH JINKS. Small gamblers.

HIGH PADS. Highway robbers.

HIGH ROPES. In a passion; very loud.

HIGH TIDE. Plenty of money.

HIGH TOBERS. Gonnoffs; the highest order of thieves, who generally go well dressed, and frequent watering-places, etc., etc.

HIGH TOBY. A highway robber.

HIGH-LIVER. A fellow who lives in a garret.

HIGHFLYER. An audacious, lewd woman.

HIKE. Run away. "Hike; the cops have tumbled to us," run; the officers have seen us.

HIP INSIDE. Inside coat-pocket.

HIP OUTSIDE. Outside coat-pocket.

HISTORY OF THE FOUR KINGS. A pack of cards. "The bloke's skin is lathy, he studies the history of the four kings closer than the autum-bawler's patter," the man's purse is thin; he studies a pack of cards more than the parson's sermons.

HOB OR NOB. What will you drink?

HOBB. A country-fellow.

HOBINOL. A clown.

HOBNAIL. A countryman.

HOCK. Caught in hock; caught by the heels. "If the cove should be caught in the hock he won't snickle," if the fellow should be caught in the act, he would not tell.

HOCKEY. Drunk.

HOCKS. The feet.

HOCUS. To stupify. "Hocus the bloke's lush, and then frisk his sacks," put something into the fellow's drink that will stupify him, and then search his pockets.

HOD. A mason; a builder.

HOG IN ARMOR. A blustering office-holder.

HOG IN TOGS. A well-dressed loafer.

HOGG. A ten-cent piece.

HOGGING. To humbug.

HOGO. High-flavored; strong-scented.

HOIST. To rob houses by climbing into a window. It is generally done by two or three follows, one of whom stands close to the house, and the others climb up on him to the window.

HOISTER. A shop-lifter.

HOISTING. Putting a man upright on his head, and shaking him until his money and watch fall out of his pockets; they hold this to be no robbery.

HOISTLAY. _See Hoist._

HOLLOW. Certain; a decided beat.

HONEY. Money.

HOODY-DOODY. A short clump of a person.

HOOF. Foot. "To beat the hoof," to travel on foot.

HOOKED. To steal.

HOOKER. A thief.

HOOP. A ring.

HOOP IT. Run away.

HOP THE TWIG. Be off; go off.

HOPPED THE TWIG. Hung.

HORNESS. Watchman.

HORSE-CAPPERS. Fellows that cheat simple people out of their money by the aid of a broken-down first-class horse.

HOSTEL. A tavern.

HOT. Too well known. "The cove had better move his beaters into Dewsville, it is too hot for him here; if he stops, he'll be sure to be sick for twenty stretches," the fellow had better go into the country, for if he stays, he will be sent to prison for twenty years.

HOUSE TO LET. A widow's weeds.

HUBBUB. Pain in the stomach.

HUE. Lash him.

HUEY. The National Police Gazette.

HUFF. A bullying, cowardly fellow.

HUG. To choke.

HUGGING THE HOOKER. Choking the thief.

HUMBOX. An auctioneer's rostrum.

HUMMER. A great lie.

HUMPHREY. A coat used by pickpockets, that has pocket-holes, but no pockets.

HUSH. Murder. "Hush the bloke," kill the fellow.

HUSH-STUFF. Money given to prevent a witness from testifying.

I

ICKEN. Oak.

ICKEN BAUM. An oak-tree.

IDEA-POT. A man's head.

IMPOST-TAKER. One who lends money to thieves and gamblers at very high rates.

IMPUDENT. To cut the tails of a man's coat.

IMPURE. A lady of easy virtue.

INDORSER. One who flogs another on the back.

INGLERS. Horse-dealers who cheat those that deal with them.

INKLE. Let him know.

INLAID. Plenty of money saved.

INNOCENT. A corpse.

INNOCENTS. Convicts, because it is supposed that they can not commit crime.

INSIDER. One who knows.

INTIMATE. A shirt. "Intimate as your shirt."

IRON. Courage; fearless; staunch.

IRON DOUBLET. Innocence; not guilty.

IRONED. Handcuffed.

IVORIES. The teeth. "How the blowen flashes her ivories," how the girl shows her teeth.

IVY BUSH. A very small-faced man who has a large quantity of hair on his face and head.

J

JABBER. To talk in an unknown language.

JACK. A small coin.

JACK COVE. A mean low fellow.

JACK DANDY. A little impertinent fellow.

JACK KETCH. The hangman. This cognomen for the hangman is of very ancient date. In the year 1682, we find in "Butler's Ghost," p. 54, the following lines:

"Till Ketch observing he was choused,
And in his province much abused;
In open hall the tribute dunned,
To do his office, or refund."

Jack Ketch had not been long appointed to his office; for we find the name of his predecessor (Dun) in the former part of this poem,

"For you, yourself, to act Squire Dun,
Such ignominy ne'er saw the sun."

The addition of "Squire" to Dun's name was an evidence that he had executed some state criminal, which, according to the custom of the times, accorded to him that title. The predecessor of Dun was one Gregory; from whom the gallows was called the "Gregorian tree," and by which name it is mentioned in the prologue to "Mercurius Pragmaticus," tragi-comedy, acted in 1641:

"This trembles under the black rod, and he
Doth fear his fate from the Gregorian tree."

Gregory succeeded Derrick, who flourished in the year 1608, as we find in an old book of that time: "For he rides his circuit with the devil, and Derrick must be his host, and Tyburn the inne at which he will light." "At the gallows where I leave them, as to the haven at which they must all cast anchor, if Derrick's cables do but hold."

JACK OF LEGS. A very tall fellow.

JACK SPRAT. A small fellow.

JACK WRIGHT. A fat fellow.

JACK-GAGGER. A fellow that lives on the prostitution of his wife.

JACK-RUN. A license.

JACKED. Lamed.

JACKET. To show one up; point one out. The fly cops pulled him, and allowed the flat cops to jacket him; so you see it was dusty for him, and I advised him to pike into Daisyville for a few moons until the down blew off.

JACOB. A ladder.

JACOBITE. A shirt-collar.

JADE. A long term of imprisonment.

JAGGER. A gentleman.

JAGUE. A cut; a ditch.

JAM. A gold ring.

JAMMED. Killed; murdered; hanged.

JANASMUG. A go-between; one who goes between the thief and the fence.

JANAZARIES. A mob of pickpockets.

JAPANNED. A convict is said to be japanned when the chaplain pronounces him to be converted.

JARK. A seal.

JARKMAN. One who writes characters for servants, begging petitions, etc., etc.

JARVEY. A driver.

JASKER. A seal.

JAW COVES. Auctioneers, lawyers.

JAZEY. A man with an enormous quantity of hair on his head and face.

JEFFEY. Lightning.

JEM. A gold ring.

JENNEY. A hook on the end of a stick.

JENNY LINDA. A window, pronounced _winder_.

JERRY. A chamber-pot.

JERRY-SNEAK. A hen-pecked husband.

JESSANY. A man well dressed.

JET AUTUM. A parson.

JEW'S-EYE. A pleasant, agreeable sight.

JIG. A trick.

JIGGER. A door. "Dub the jigger," open the door.

JILT. A prostitute who hugs and kisses a countryman while her accomplice robs him.

JILTER. A sneak-thief.

JINGLEBRAINS. A wild, thoughtless fellow.

JOB. A robbery. "To do a job," to commit a robbery.

JOB. Patience; take time; don't be in a hurry.

JOB'S DOCK. An hospital. "The poor cove is in Job's dock," the poor fellow is in the hospital.

JOBATION. A reproof; painful.

JOBBER-NOT. A tall, ungainly fellow.

JOCK. Enjoy; to enjoy any thing.

JOCKUM GAGE. A chamber-pot.

JOEY. A hypocrite. Sometimes, four.

JOLLY. The head; an excuse; a pretense.

JOMER. A mistress.

JORDAIN. A blow. "I'll tip the Jack Cove a jordain on the jazey, if I transnear him," I'll hit the mean fellow with my club on his big nose, if I get near him.

JORDAN. Disagreeable; hard to be done.

JOSEPH. A coat that's patched; a sheepish, bashful fellow.

JOSEPH'S COAT. Guarded against temptation. "I say, my bene blowen, can't you kiddy the bloke?" "No, Dick, it's of no use trying, he wears a Joseph's coat," I say, my good girl, can't you seduce the man? No, Dick, it's no use trying, he is guarded against temptation.

JOSKIN. A countryman; a silly fellow. "The cove maced the joskin of twenty cases," the fellow cheated the countryman out of twenty dollars.

JUG. A bank.

JUMP. A widow; run away.

JUMPED HIS BAIL. Run away from his bail.

JUMPERS. Fellows that rob houses by getting into windows.

JURK. A seal.

K

KATE. A smart, brazen-faced woman.

KATEY. A picklock.

KE-KEYA. Devil; Satan.

KEELER. A small tub, or firkin.

KEFFEL. A horse.

KELTER. Condition; order.

KEN. A house. "Bite the ken," rob the house.

KEN-CRACKER. A house-breaker.

KETCH. Hang. "I'll ketch you," I'll hang you.

KICK. A pocket. "The Moll stubbled her skin in her kick," the woman held her purse in her pocket.

KICK-CLOY. A pair of breeches.

KICKED THE BUCKET. Dead.

KICKSIES. Pants; breeches.

KID. A child; a youth; a young one.

KIDDED. Coaxed; amused; humbugged. "The sneaksman kidded the cove of the crib, while his pal tapped the till," the thief amused the store-keeper, while his comrade robbed the money-drawer.

KIDDIES. Young thieves.

KIDDEN. A boy lodging-house.

KIDMENT. Comical.

KIDNEY. The same kind.

KIDSMAN. A fellow that boards and lodges boys for the purpose of teaching them how to steal, putting them through a course of training, as a dog-trainer will train dogs for the hunt. The kidsman accompanies the kid, and though committing no depredations himself, he controls and directs the motions of the others.

KILL DEVIL. New rum.

KIMBAW. To bully; to beat. "Let's kimbaw the bloke," let us bully or beat the fellow.

KINCHIN. A young child.

KINCHIN COVES. Boys taught how to steal.

KINCHIN MORTS. Girls educated to steal.

KIP. A bed; half a fool.

KIRJALIS. Who fears? I fear not; come on.

KIRKBUZZER. A fellow that picks pockets in churches.

KIT. A dancing-master; the implements of a burglar.

KITCHEN PHYSIC. Food. "A little kitchen physic will set me up." I have more need of a cook than a doctor.

KITE. A letter; fancy stocks.

KITING. Restless; going from place to place.

KITTLE. To tickle; to please.

KITTLER. One who tickles or pleases.

KITTYS. Stock in trade; tools. "The bobbies seized the screwsman's kittys," the officers seized the burglar's tools.

KLEM. To strike. "Klem the bloke," hit the man.

KNAPPED. Arrested.

KNIGHT OF ALSATIA. A person that treats the whole company.

KNIGHT OF THE POST. A fellow that will swear any thing for money.

KNOB. The head.

KNOB-THATCHER. A wig-maker.

KNOCK-ME-DOWN. Very strong liquor.

KNOSE. Tobacco; smoke.

KNOT. A gang of thieves.

KNOWLEDGE-BOX. The head.

KNUCK. A pickpocket.

KONE. Counterfeit money.

KONIACKER. A counterfeiter.

L

LACE. To beat; to whip.

LACED MUTTON. A common woman.

LACH. Let in. "The cove is bene, shall we lach him?" the man is good, shall we let him in? "If he is not leaky." "I'll answer for him; he is staunch."

LADDER. "He mounted the ladder," he was hung.

LADY. A humpbacked female.

LADY BIRD. A kept mistress.

LAG. A convicted felon.

LAGE. Water; a basket.

LAGE OF DUDS. A basket of clothes.

LAGGED. Convicted; transported.

LAID. Pawned.

LAMB. To flog.

LAMBASTE. Flog. "Lambaste the bloke," flog the fellow.

LAMBO. To beat with a club.

LAMP. Eye. "The cove has a queer lamp," the man has a blind or squinting eye.

LAND-BROKER. An undertaker. "The cove buys lands for stiff uns," the man purchases land for dead people.

LAND-YARD. The grave-yard.

LANTERN-JAWED. Thin-faced.

LAP. Drink; butter-milk; pick it up; to take; to steal.

LAP UP. To wipe out; to put out of sight.

LARK. A boat; a piece of fun; looking for something to steal; on a lark.

LARREY. Cunning.

LATHY. Not fat. "I touched the joskin's skin, but it was as lathy as his jaws were lantern," I stole the countryman's purse, but it was as thin as his face.

LATITAT. Attorney.

LAVENDER COVE. A pawnbroker.

LAW. "Give the cove law," give the fellow a chance to escape.

LAY. A particular kind of rascality, trade, or profession; on the look out; watching for something to steal. Sometimes the same as gait. "What's the cove's lay?" "Why, you see, he is on the ken's crack"--house-breaking.

LEAF. Autumn. "I will be out in the leaf," I will be out in the autumn.

LEAK. To impart a secret.

LEAKY. Not trustworthy.

LEAP THE BOOK. A false marriage.

LEAST. Keep out of the way; hide; out of sight.

LEATHER. A pocket-book; portmonnaie. "The bloke lost his leather," the man lost his pocket-book.

LEERY. On guard; look out; wide awake.

LEFT-HANDED WIFE. A concubine. It was an ancient custom among the Germans for a man, if he married his concubine, to give her his left hand, instead of the right.

LEG. A gambler.

LEG IT. Run away; clear out.

LEG-BAIL AND LAND-SECURITY. Runaway.

LEGGED. Full-fettered; double-ironed.

LENTEN. Nothing to eat; starving.

LETCH. Unusual fastenings to a door.

LIB. Sleep. "The coves lib together," the fellows sleep together.

LIBBEGE. A bed.

LIBBEN. A private house.

LIBKEN. A lodging-house.

LICK. To coax.

LIFE-PRESERVER. A slung-shot.

LIFT. Help. "Lift the poor cove, he is almost lenten," help the poor fellow, he is almost starved.

LIFTERS. Crutches.

LIG. A bedstead.

LIGHT MANS. The day.

LIGHT-HOUSE. A man with a very red nose.

LIL. A pocket-book.

LILL. A bad bill.

LILLY WHITE. A chimney-sweep; a negro.

LIMB. A lawyer, or lawyer's clerk.

LIMBO. A prison.

LIMBS. A long-legged fellow.

LINGO. Talk; language.

LION. Be saucy; lion the fellow; make a loud noise; substitute noise for good sense; frighten; bluff.

LISTNERS. Ears.

LIVE EELS. Fields. "Bill has gone to live eels, to read and write with Joe." _See Read._

LOB. A money-drawer; the till.

LOBLAY. Robbing money-drawers.

LOBSNEAK. A fellow that robs money-drawers.

LOCK. Sometimes a receiver of stolen money; a character. "The cove stood a queer lock," the fellow had a bad character.

LOLL. The favorite child; the mother's darling.

LOLLOP. Lazy.

LOLLOP FEVER. Lazy fever.

LONG. A large price.

LONG-GONE. Sentenced for life.

LONG-TAILED-ONES. Bank bills for large amount.

LOO. For the good of all.

LOOBY. An ignorant fellow; a fool.

LOPE. Run; be off. "The cove loped down the dancers, and got off with the wedge-feeders," the thief leaped down the stairs, and got away with the silver spoons.

LORD LOVEL. A spade or shovel.

LOUNGE. The prisoner's box in a criminal court.

LOW TIDE. Very little money left.

LOWING-LAY. Stealing cattle, oxen, or cows.

LOWRE. Coin.

LUGGER. A sailor.

LUGS. Ears.

LULLABY KID. An infant.

LULLIE-PRIGGERS. Thieves who rob clothes-lines.

LULLIES. Wet linen.

LUMBER. To walk; to walk in a careless, unconcerned manner.

LUMBER. To receive stolen property from a thief for safe keeping, or disposing of it for his benefit.

LUMBERER. A pawnbroker.

LUMBERER CRIB. A pawnbroker's shop.

LUMBS. Too many; too much.

LUMP. To beat. "Lump the booby," flog the fool.

LUMP OF LEAD. A bullet; sometimes the head.

LUMPING THE LIGHTER. Transported.

LUN. The funny fellow; a clown.

LUNAN. A girl.

LURCH. Abandon. "Lurch the booby, he has leaked his insides out to the coppers," abandon the fool, he has told the officers all he knows.

LURRIES. Valuables; watches; rings; money.

LUSH. Drink.

LUSHINGTONS. Drunken men.

LUSHY. Drunk. "The bang-up kiddies had a spree, and got bloody lushy," the dashing boys had a party, and got very drunk.

LUSTRES. Diamonds.

LYE. Urine.

M