bilboa
A sword. Bilboa in Spain was once famous for well-tempered blades: these are quoted by Falstaff, where he describes the manner in which he lay in the buck-basket. Bilboes, the stock; prison. Cant.
English · UK & Ireland 1634
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Expressions you’ll hear in Britain and Ireland — distinctly British usage first, then widespread staples.
bilk
A cheat, or a swindler. Formerly in general use, now confined to the streets, where it is common, and mostly used in reference to prostitutes. Gothic, BILAICAN.
bill at sight
To pay a bill at sight; to be ready at all times for the venereal act.
bill of sale
A widow's weeds. See HOUSE TO LET.
billingsgate
(when applied to speech), foul and coarse language. Many years since people used to visit Thames Street to hear the Billingsgate fishwomen abuse each other. The anecdote of Dr. Johnson and the Billingsgate virago is well known.
billingsgate language
Foul language, or abuse. Billingsgate is the market where the fishwomen assemble to purchase fish; and where, in their dealings and disputes, they are somewhat apt to leave decency and good manners a little on the left hand.
billy
A silk pocket-handkerchief.—Scotch.—See WIPE.
billy-barlow
A street clown; sometimes termed a JIM CROW, or SALTIMBANCO,—so called from the hero of a slang song. Billy was a real person, semi-idiotic, and though in dirt and rags, fancied himself a swell of the first water. Occasionally he came out with real witticisms. He was a well-known street character about the East-end of London, and died in Whitechapel Workhouse.
billy-cock
A soft felt hat of the Jim Crow or "wide-awake" description.
bing
To go. Cant. Bing avast; get you gone. Binged avast in a darkmans; stole away in the night. Bing we to Rumeville: shall we go to London?
bingo
Brandy or other spirituous liquor. Cant.
bingo boy
A dram drinker. Cant.
bingo mort
A female dram drinker. Cant.
bingy
A term largely used in the butter trade to denote bad, ropy butter; nearly equivalent to VINNIED.
binnacle word
A fine or affected word, which sailors jeeringly offer to chalk up on the binnacle.
bird and baby
The sign of the eagle and child.
bird-witted
Inconsiderate, thoughtless, easily imposed on.
birth-day suit
He was in his birth-day suit, that is, stark naked.
birthday suit
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
bishop
A mixture of wine and water, into which is put a roasted orange. Also one of the largest of Mrs. Philips's purses, used to contain the others.
bishop
A warm drink composed of materials similar to those used in the manufacture of "flip" and "purl."
bit
Money. He grappled the cull's bit; he seized the man's money. A bit is also the smallest coin in Jamaica, equal to about sixpence sterling.
bit
Fourpence; in America a 12-1/2 cent piece is called a BIT, and a defaced 20 cent piece is termed a LONG BIT. A BIT is the smallest coin in Jamaica, equal to 6d. BIT usually means the smallest silver coin in circulation; also a piece of money of any kind.
bit-faker
Or TURNER OUT, a coiner of bad money.
bit-of-stuff
Overdressed man; a man with full confidence in his appearance and abilities; a young woman, who is also called a BIT OF MUSLIN.
bitch
A she dog, or doggess; the most offensive appellation that can be given to an English woman, even more provoking than that of whore, as may he gathered from the regular Billinsgate or St. Giles's answer--"I may be a whore, but can't be a bitch."
bitch
Tea; "a BITCH party," a tea-drinking. Probably because undergraduates consider tea only fit for old women.—Oxford.
bitch booby
A country wench. Military term.
bite
A cheat; also a woman's privities. The cull wapt the mort's bite; the fellow enjoyed the wench heartily. Cant.
bite
A cheat; "a Yorkshire BITE," a cheating fellow from that county. The term BITE is also applied to a hard bargainer.—North; also old slang—used by Pope. Swift says it originated with a nobleman in his day.
biter
A wench whose **** is ready to bite her a-se; a lascivious, rampant wench.
bitter
Diminutive of bitter beer; "to do a BITTER," to drink beer.—Originally Oxford, but now general.
bittock
A distance of very undecided length. If a North countryman be asked the distance to a place, he will most probably reply, "a mile and a BITTOCK." The latter may be considered any distance from one hundred yards to ten miles.
bivvy
Or GATTER, beer; "shant of BIVVY," a pot or quart of beer. In Suffolk the afternoon refreshment of reapers is called BEVER. It is also an old English term.
biz
Contraction of the word business; a phrase much used in America in writing as well as in conversation.
blab
A tell-tale, or one incapable of keeping a secret
black a-se
A copper or kettle. The pot calls the kettle black a-se. Cant.
black and white
clear and straightforward
black art
The art of picking a lock. Cant.
black book
He is down in the black book, i.e. has a stain in his character. A black book is keep in most regiments, wherein the names of all persons sentenced to punishment are recorded.
black diamonds
Coals; talented persons of dingy or unpolished exterior; rough jewels.
black eye
We gave the bottle a black eye, i.e. drank it almost up. He cannot say black is the white of my eye; he cannot point out a blot in my character.
black fly
The greatest drawback on the farmer is the black fly, i.e. the parson who takes tithe of the harvest.
black guard
A shabby, mean fellow; a term said to be derived from a number of dirty, tattered roguish boys, who attended at the Horse Guards, and Parade in St. James's Park, to black the boots and shoes of the soldiers, or to do any other dirty offices. These, from their constant attendance about the time of guard mounting, were nick-named the black-guards.
black indies
Newcastle upon Tyne, whose rich coal mines prove an Indies to the proprietors.
black jack
A nick name given to the Recorder by the Thieves.
black joke
A popular tune to a song, having for the burden, "Her black joke and belly so white:" figuratively the black joke signifies the monosyllable. See MONOSYLLABLE.
black monday
The first Monday after the school-boys holidays, or breaking up, when they are to go to school, and produce or repeat the tasks set them.
black psalm
To sing the black psalm; to cry: a saying used to children.
black spice racket
To rob chimney sweepers of their soot, bag and soot.
black strap
Bene Carlo wine; also port. A task of labour imposed on soldiers at Gibraltar, as a punishment for small offences.
black-a-vised
Having a very dark complexion.
blackberry-swagger
A person who hawks tapes, boot-laces, &c.
blackbirding
Slave-catching. Term most applied nowadays to the Polynesian coolie traffic.
blackguard
A low or dirty fellow; a rough or a hulking fellow, capable of any meanness or cowardice.
blackguardiana
Or, Dictionary of Rogues, Bawds, &c., 8vo, WITH PORTRAITS [by James Caulfield]. 1795.
blackleg
A rascal, swindler, or card cheat. The derivation of this term was solemnly argued before the full Court of Queen’s Bench upon a motion for a new trial for libel, but was not decided by the learned tribunal. Probably it is from the custom of sporting and turf men wearing black top-boots. Hence BLACKLEG came to be the phrase for a professional sporting man, and thence for a professional sporting cheat. The word is now in its worst sense diminished to "leg."
blacklegs
A gambler or sharper on the turf or in the cockpit: so called, perhaps, from their appearing generally in boots; or else from game-cocks whose legs are always black.
blackwork
Undertaking. The waiters met at public dinners are often employed during the day as mutes, etc. Omnibus and cab drivers regard BLACKWORK as a dernier ressort.
bladder-of-lard
A coarse, satirical nickname for a bald-headed person. From similarity of appearance.