beetle-browed
One having thick projecting eyebrows.
English · UK & Ireland 1634
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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.
beetle-crusher
Or SQUASHER, a large flat foot. The expression was made popular by being once used by Leech.
bee’s
(Jon.) Dictionary of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, the Pit, the Bon Ton, and the Varieties of Life, forming the completest and most authentic Lexicon Balatronicum hitherto offered to the notice of the Sporting World, by John Bee [i.e., John Badcock], Editor of the Fancy, Fancy Gazette, Living Picture of London, and the like of that, 12mo. 1823.
beggar maker
A publican, or ale-house keeper.
beggar's bullets
Stones. The beggar's bullets began to fly, i.e. they began to throw stones.
beggars’ velvet
Downy particles which accumulate under furniture from the negligence of housemaids. Otherwise called SLUTS’-WOOL.
beilby's ball
He will dance at Beilby's ball, where the sheriff pays the music; he will be hanged. Who Mr. Beilby was, or why that ceremony was so called, remains with the quadrature of the circle, the discovery of the philosopher's stone, and divers other desiderata yet undiscovered.
belch
All sorts of beer; that liquor being apt to cause eructation.
belcher
A red silk handkerchief, intermixed with yellow and a little black. The kiddey flashes his belcher; the young fellow wears a silk handkerchief round his neck.
belcher
A blue bird’s-eye handkerchief.—See BILLY.
bell
A song. Tramps’ term. Simply diminutive of BELLOW.
bell swagger
A noisy bullying fellow.
bell, book, and candle
They cursed him with bell, book, and candle; an allusion to the popish form of excommunicating and anathematizing persons who had offended the church.
bellows
The lungs. BELLOWSER, a blow in the "wind," or pit of the stomach, taking one’s breath away.
bellowsed
Or LAGGED, transported.
bellowser
Transportation for life: i.e. as long.
bellwether
The chief or leader of a mob; an idea taken from a flock of sheep, where the wether has a bell about his neck.
belly
His eye was bigger than his belly; a saying of a person at a table, who takes more on his plate than he can eat.
belly plea
The plea of pregnancy, generally adduced by female felons capitally convicted, which they take care to provide for, previous to their trials; every gaol having, as the Beggar's Opera informs us, one or more child getters, who qualify the ladies for that expedient to procure a respite.
belly-vengeance
Small sour beer, apt to cause gastralgia.
bellyfull
A hearty beating, sufficient to make a man yield or give out. A woman with child is also said to have got her belly full.
bemuse
To fuddle one’s self with drink, "BEMUSING himself with beer," &c.
ben
A benefit.—Theatrical.
ben cull
A friend, or "pal." Expression used by thieves.
ben joltram
Brown bread and skimmed milk; a Norfolk term for a ploughboy’s breakfast.
bend
"that’s above my bend," i.e., beyond my power, too expensive or too difficult for me to perform.
bender
A sixpence. Probably from its liability to bend. In the days when the term was most in use sixpences were not kept in the excellent state of preservation peculiar to the currency of the present day.
bendigo
A rough fur cap worn in the midland counties, called after a noted pugilist of that name. "Hard Punchers" are caps worn by London roughs and formerly by men in training. They are a modification of the common Scotch cap, and have peaks.
bene
Good--BENAR. Better. Cant.
bene
Good.—Ancient Cant; BENAR was the comparative.—See BONE. Latin.
bene bowse
Good beer, or other strong liquor. Cant.
bene cove
A good fellow. Cant.
bene feakers of gybes
Counterfeiters of passes. Cant.
bene fearers
Counterfeiters of bills. Cant.
benedick
A married man. Shakspeare.
benison
The beggar's benison: May your ***** and purse never fail you.
benjamin
Coat. Formerly termed a JOSEPH, in allusion, perhaps, to Joseph’s coat of many colours.—See UPPER-BENJAMIN.
benjy
A waistcoat, diminutive of BENJAMIN.
beong
A shilling.—See SALTEE.—Lingua Franca.
bermudas
A cant name for certain places in London, privileged against arrests, like the Mint in Southwark, Ben. Jonson. These privileges are abolished.
bess-o’-bedlam
A lunatic vagrant.—Norfolk.
best
To the best in Christendom: i.e. the best **** in Christendom; a health formerly much in vogue.
best
To get the better or BEST of a man in any way—not necessarily to cheat—to have the best of a bargain. BESTED, taken in, or defrauded, in reality worsted. BESTER, a low betting cheat, a fraudulent bookmaker.
bet
A wager.--TO BET. To lay a wager.
better
More; "how far is it to town?" "Oh, BETTER ’n a mile."—Saxon and Old English, now a vulgarism.
betting round
Laying fairly and equally against nearly all the horses in a race so that no great risk can be run. Commonly called getting round. See BOOK, and BOOKMAKING.
betty
A skeleton key, or picklock.—Old Prison Cant.
betty martin
That's my eye, Betty Martin; an answer to any one that attempts to impose or humbug.
betwattled
Surprised, confounded, out of one's senses; also bewrayed.
bever
An afternoon's luncheon; also a fine hat; beaver's fur making the best hats,
beverage
Garnish money, or money for drink, demanded of any one having a new suit of clothes.
bible
A boatswain's great axe. Sea term.
bible oath
Supposed by the vulgar to be more binding than an oath taken on the Testament only, as being the bigger book, and generally containing both the Old and New Testament.
bible-carrier
A person who sells songs without singing them.—Seven Dials.
biddy
A general name applied to Irish stallwomen and milkmaids, in the same manner that Mike is given to the labouring men. A big red-faced Irish servant girl is known as a Bridget.
bienly
Excellently. She wheedled so bienly; she coaxed or flattered so cleverly. French.
big
"to look BIG," to assume an inflated air or manner; "to talk BIG," i.e., boastingly.
big-bird
TO GET THE, i.e., to be hissed, as actors occasionally are by the "gods." BIG-BIRD is simply a metaphor for goose.—Theat. Slang.
big-wig
A person in authority or office. Exchangeable with "GREAT GUN."
bilbo
A sword; abbrev. of "BILBAO blade." Spanish swords were anciently very celebrated, especially those of Toledo, Bilbao, &c.