altitudes
The man is in his altitudes, i.e. he is drunk.
English · UK & Ireland 608
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Where will you be? Anywhere UK & IrelandUnited StatesOnline slangBusiness jargon
Expressions you’ll hear in Britain and Ireland — distinctly British usage first, then widespread staples.
ambassador of morocco
A Shoemaker. (See Mrs. Clarke's Examination.)
ambidexter
A lawyer who takes fees from both plaintiff and defendant, or that goes snacks with both parties in gaming.
amen
He said Yes and Amen to every thing; he agreed to every thing.
american tweezers
An instrument used by an hotel-sneak which nips the wards end of a key, and enables him to open a door from the opposite side to that on which it has been locked.
ames ace
Within ames ace; nearly, very near.
aminadab
A jeering name for a Quaker.
amorous gallants’ tongue tipp’d with golden expressions
Or the Art of Courtship refined, being the best and Newest ACADEMY; containing Select Sentences, forms of Courtship; Choice Letters; Interpretation of Dreams: to which is added Bills, Bonds, Releases, Letters of Attorney, &c.; together with A Canting Academy, or the PEDLAR’S FRENCH DICTIONARY, 13th edition. London, for C. Hitch and L. Hawes, n. d. , 12mo.
amusers
Rogues who carried snuff or dust in their pockets, which they threw into the eyes of any person they intended to rob; and running away, their accomplices (pretending to assist and pity the half-blinded person) took that opportunity of plundering him.
anabaptist
A pickpocket caught in the fact, and punished with the discipline of the pump or horse-pond.
anchor
Bring your a-se to an anchor, i.e. sit down. To let go an anchor to the windward of the law; to keep within the letter of the law. SEA WIT.
andrews’
(George) Dictionary of the Slang and Cant Languages, Ancient and Modern, 12mo. London, 1809.
anglers
Pilferers, or petty thieves, who, with a stick having a hook at the end, steal goods out of shop-windows, grates, &c.; also those who draw in or entice unwary persons to prick at the belt, or such like devices.
angling for farthings
Begging out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.
ankle
A girl who is got with child, is said to have sprained her ankle.
anointed
I.e., eminent; used to express great rascality in any one; "an ANOINTED scoundrel," king among scoundrels.—Irish.
anointing
A good beating. A case for the application of salve.
anonyma
A lady of the demi-monde, or worse; a "pretty horsebreaker." INCOGNITA was the term at first. Product of the squeamishness of the age which tries to thrust away fact by the use of fine words.
antiscriptural
Oaths, foul language. Anything unfit for ordinary society conversation.
ape leader
a person who is followed by others without being a true leader
apostles
To manoeuvre the apostles, i.e. rob Peter to pay Paul; that is, to borrow money of one man to pay another.
apostle’s grove
The London district known as St. John’s Wood. Also called GROVE OF THE EVANGELIST.
apothecary
To talk like an apothecary; to use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.
apple cart
Down with his apple-cart; knock or throw him down.
apple-cart
The human structure, so far as the phrases with which it is connected are concerned. As "I’ll upset your APPLE-CART," "down with his APPLE-CART."
apple-pie bed
A trick played at schools on new comers, or on any boy disliked by the rest. One of the sheets is removed, and the other is doubled in the middle, so that both edges are brought to the top, and look as if both sheets were there; but the unhappy occupant is prevented getting more than half-way down, and he has to remake his bed as best he can. This trick is sometimes played by children of a larger growth.
apple-pie order
In exact or very nice order.
apple-pye bed
A bed made apple-pye fashion, like what is called a turnover apple-pye, where the sheets are so doubled as to prevent any one from getting at his length between them: a common trick played by frolicsome country lasses on their sweethearts, male relations, or visitors.
appro
Contraction of approbation, a word much in use among jewellers. Most of the extensive show of chains, watches, and trinkets in a shop window is obtained "ON APPRO," i.e., "on sale or return."
april fool
Any one imposed on, or sent on a bootless errand, on the first of April; which day it is the custom among the lower people, children, and servants, by dropping empty papers carefully doubled up, sending persons on absurd messages, and such like contrivances, to impose on every one they can, and then to salute them with the title of April Fool. This is also practised in Scotland under the title of Hunting the Gowke.
apron string hold
An estate held by a man during his wife's life.
aqua pumpaginis
Pump water.
arch duke
A comical or eccentric fellow.
arch rogue, dimber damber upright man
The chief of a gang of thieves or gypsies.
area sneak
A thief who commits depredations upon kitchens and cellars.
argol-bargol
To bandy words.—Scotch.
ark
A boat or wherry. Let us take an ark and winns, let us take a sculler. CANT.
ark ruffians
Rogues who, in conjunction with watermen, robbed, and sometimes murdered, on the water, by picking a quarrel with the passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard, &c. A species of badger. CANT.
armour
In his armour, pot valiant: to fight in armour; to make use of Mrs. Philips's ware. See C--D--M.
arrah now
An unmeaning expletive, frequently used by the vulgar Irish.
arse
To hang an arse; to hang back, to be afraid to advance. He would lend his a-e and sh-te through his ribs; a saying of any one who lends his money inconsiderately. He would lose his a-e if it was loose; said of a careless person. A-e about; turn round.
arsy yarsey
To fall arsy varsey, i.e. head over heels.
article
A wench. A prime article. A handsome girl. She's a prime article (WHIP SLANG), she's a devilish good piece, a hell of a GOER.
article
Derisive term for a weak or insignificant specimen of humanity.
articles
Breeches; coat, waistcoat, and articles.
as fat as a hen in the forehead
A saying of a meagre person.
ash’s
(John, LL.D.) New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language, 2 vols. 8vo. 1775.
atomy
A diminutive or deformed person. From ANATOMY, or ATOM.
attack
To carve, or commence operations; "ATTACK that beef, and oblige!"
attic
The head; "queer in the ATTIC," intoxicated or weak-minded. Sometimes ATTIC is varied by "upper story."
attic salt
Wit or sarcasm, especially in writing
auctioneer
To "tip him the AUCTIONEER," is to knock a man down. Tom Sayers’s right hand was known to pugilistic fame as the AUCTIONEER.
audit ale
Extra strong ale supposed to be drunk when the accounts are audited.—Camb. Univ.
auld-reekie
An affectionate term for the old town of Edinburgh. Derived from its dingy appearance.
aunt
Mine aunt; a bawd or procuress: a title of eminence for the senior dells, who serve for instructresses, midwives, &c. for the dells. CANT. See DELLS.
autem cacklers, autem prickears
Dissenters of every denomination. CANT.
autem cackletub
A conventicle or meeting-house for dissenters. CANT.
autem divers
Pickpockets who practice in churches; also churchwardens and overseers of the poor. CANT.
autem goglers
Pretended French prophets. CANT.
autem mort
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.