old gentleman
A playing card that is almost imperceptibly longer than the others in the deck, used by cheats.
English · UK & Ireland 596
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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.
Old Gooseberry
The Devil; Satan.
old toast
A lively fellow who drinks excessively; a carouser.
on the fly
Carried out during the running of a program without interrupting.
o be joyful
I'll make you sing O be joyful on the other side of your mouth; a threat, implying the party threatened will be made to cry. To sing O be easy; to appear contented when one has cause to complain, and dare not.
o. k
A matter to be O. K. (OLL KORRECT, i.e., all correct), must be on the "square," and perfectly in order. This is an Americanism, and is derived from the initials O. K., said to have been marked on a document by an official to signify that all was right and proper.
o. p
Publishers’ reply to an inquiry for a book or paper that is OUT OF PRINT.
oaf
A lumbering, awkward fellow.
oak
A rich maa, a man of good substance and credit. To sport oak; to shut the outward door of a student's room at college. An oaken towel; an oaken cudgel. To rub a man down with an oaken towel; to beat him.
oak
The outer door of college rooms; to "sport one’s OAK," to be "not at home" to visitors. See SPORT.—University.
oar
To put in one's oar; to intermeddle, or give an opinion unasked: as, To be sure, you must put in your oar!
oar
"to put in an OAR," to interfere.
oat
An atom. Probable corruption of iota, or perhaps from the small size of an oat. "I never got an OAT of it," I never received the smallest portion.
oaths
The favourite oaths of the thieves of the present day are, "God strike me blind!" "I wish my bloody eyes may drop out if it is not true!" "So help me God!" "Bloody end to me!"
oats
He has sowed his wild oats; he is staid, or sober, having left off his wild tricks.
obliquitous
Oblivious of distinction between right and wrong.—American.
obstropolous
Cockney corruption of obstreperous.
obstropulous
Vulgar misnomer of OBSTREPEROUS: as, I was going my rounds, and found this here gemman very obstropulous, whereof I comprehended him as an auspicious parson.
occabot
Tobacco; "tib fo OCCABOT," bit of tobacco.
occupy
To occupy a woman; to have carnal knowledge of her.
ochre
Money, generally applied to gold, for a very obvious reason.
od rot it
(Colman’s Broad Grins), DRAT IT, OD’S BLOOD, and all other exclamations commencing with OD, are nothing but softened or suppressed oaths. OD is a corruption of GOD, and DRAT of ROT.
odd man
A man who trains in company with a boat’s crew, so that in the event of any one falling ill the seat will be fairly occupied.
odd man out
A street or public-house game at tossing. The number of players is three or more. Each tosses up a coin, and if two come down head, and one comes tail, or vice versâ, the ODD MAN loses or wins, as may have been agreed upon. Frequently used to victimize a "flat." If all be alike, then the toss goes for nothing, and the coppers are again "skied." It is easy for two men to arrange matters beforehand at this game, and so swindle a third.
odd-come-shortlys
I'll do it one of these odd-come-shortly's; I will do it some time or another.
oddfellows
A convivial society; the introduction to the most noble grand, arrayed in royal robes, is well worth seeing at the price of becoming a member.
odds
A phrase equivalent to "consequence;" "what’s the ODDS?" i.e., what is the expected result? "It’s no ODDS," i.e., of no consequence. ODDS, in sporting phraseology, refers to the proportions or differences of a bet. One bookmaker will lay ODDS of "six to one" against such a horse winning; whilst another, more speculative, or in the receipt of a first-rate "tip" (information about the horse in question) will lay "eight," or even "ten to one."
odds plut and her nails
A Welch oath, frequently mentioned in a jocular manner by persons, it is hoped, ignorant of its meaning; which is, By God's blood, and the nails with which he was nailed to the cross.
off and on
Vacillating; "an OFF AND ON kind of a chap," one who is always undecided.
off one's feed
Having lost one's appetite or enthusiasm
off one’s chump
To be crazy is to be OFF ONE’S CHUMP; this is varied by the word CHUMPY. A mild kind of lunatic is also said to be "off his head," which means of course exactly the same as the first phrase.
off the horn
A term used in reference to very hard steak, which is fancifully said to be OFF THE HORN.
office
To give the office; to give information, or make signs to the officers to take a thief.
office
"to give the OFFICE," to give a hint dishonestly to a confederate, thereby enabling him to win a game or bet, the profits being shared. Also in sporting phraseology to give any information worth having.
offish
Distant, not familiar. Corruption of STAND-OFFISH.
ogle
To look, or reconnoitre.
ogles
Eyes. Rum ogles; fine eyes.
ogles
Eyes.—Old Cant. French, ŒIL.
oil of gladness
I will anoint you with the oil of gladness; ironically spoken for, I will beat you.
oil of stirrup
A dose the cobler gives his wife whenever she is obstropulous.
ointment
Medical student slang for butter.
old boots
A simile as general in its application as it is irrelevant. "Like OLD BOOTS" means like anything. "As cheeky as OLD BOOTS;" "As quick as OLD BOOTS," seem a little more reasonable, new boots being somewhat unfavourable to speedy locomotion.
old dog
A knowing blade, an experienced person. Butler uses the phrase, Hudibras, part ii. canto iii. 208, where it was said of Sidrophel, "And was OLD DOG at physiology." An Irish proverb says, "OLD DOG for hard road," meaning that it requires an experienced person to execute a difficult undertaking.
old hand
An experienced person
old harry
A composition used by vintners to adulterate their wines; also the nick-name for the devil.
old horse
salt junk
old hoss
A term of endearment, originally an Americanism, but now in common use here among friends.
old lady in threadneedle street
The Bank of England.
old man
In American merchant ships, the master. The phrase is becoming common in English ships.
old mr
GORY. A piece of gold.
old nick
The Devil: from NEKEN, the evil spirit of the north.
old one
The Devil. Likewise an expression of quizzical familiarity, as "how d'ye do, OLD ONE?"
old pegg
Poor Yorkshire cheese, made of skimmed milk.
old stager
An experienced person, especially in a particular profession or activity
old tom
Extra strong gin; sometimes termed CAT’S WATER. Various reasons are given for the use of the words OLD TOM. The distillers have the sign of a tom cat on their illuminated placards. The origin of the phrase is, however, in the fact that the managing clerk of a once celebrated "gin-spinning" firm, who was known as OLD TOM, used to keep a special bottle of extra good stuff with which to regale customers when they settled their accounts. To get a drink of OLD TOM’S was then a great favour.
oliver
The moon; "OLIVER don’t widdle," i.e., the moon does not shine. Nearly obsolete.
ollapod
A country apothecary. From George Coleman’s comedy of The Poor Gentleman.
olli compolli
The name of one of the principal rogues of the canting crew. CANT.
omee
A master or landlord; "the OMEE of the carsey’s a nark on the pitch," the master of the house will not let us perform. Italian, UOMO, a man; "UOMO DELLA CASA," the master of the house. Latin, HOMO.—Lingua Franca.
omnium gatherum
The whole together: jocular imitation of law Latin.