string
To hoax, to "get in a line."
English · UK & Ireland 2057
All languages English Tiếng Việt
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.
stroke
To take a stroke: to take a bout with a woman.
stroke
The captain of a crew, the man who sets the pace, and is generally the leading spirit in the boat. The coxswain usually looks after University men when they are in training, so that they may not fall into excesses, the STROKE having quite enough to do to attend to his own training. Of late years University crews have placed themselves under the guidance and tuition of "coaches," generally ex-University men of great ability and experience.
strollers
Itinerants of different kinds. Strolling morts; beggars or pedlars pretending to be widows.
strommel
Straw.—Ancient Cant. Halliwell says that in Norfolk STRUMMEL is a name for hair.
strong
"to come it STRONG." See COME.
strong man
To play the part of the strong man, i.e. to push the cart and horses too; to be whipt at the cart's tail.
strum
A perriwig. Rum strum: a fine large wig. (CAMBRIDGE) To do a piece. Foeminam subagitare. CANT.
stub-faced
Pitted with the smallpox: the devil ran over his face with horse stabs (horse nails) in his shoes.
stubble it
Hold your tongue. CANT.
stuck
Moneyless. See STICK.
stuck-up
Purse-proud—a form of snobbishness very common in those who have risen in the world, especially among those who have risen rather suddenly. Albert Smith wrote some amusing papers on the Natural History of STUCK-UP People.
stuff
To make false but plausible statements, to praise ironically, to make game of a person,—literally, to STUFF or cram him with gammon or falsehood.
stum
The flower of fermenting wine, used by vintners to adulterate their wines.
stump
To go about speechmaking on politics or other subjects. Originally an Americanism applied to the lowest class of candidates for legislatorial honours, probably because they stood on a STUMP to address their audiences. Maybe, also, because their utterances were short and pithy. This latter reason would, however, hardly apply to our representatives of the STUMP class, "the Leaguers," who are, as a rule, as long-winded as they are illogical.
stumped
Bowled out, done for, bankrupt, poverty-stricken. From the cricketing term.
stumps
Legs. To stir one's stumps; to walk fast.
stunner
A first-rate person or article.
stunners
Feelings of great astonishment; "it put the STUNNERS on me," i.e., it confounded me.
sturdy beggars
The fifth and last of the most ancient order of canters, beggars that rather demand than ask CANT.
sub
A subaltern officer in the army.
successfully
Used by the vulgar for SUCCESSIVELY: as three or four landlords of this house have been ruined successfully by the number of soldiers quartered on them. IRISH.
suck
Strong liquor of any sort. To suck the monkey; see MONKEY. Sucky; drunk.
suck
A parasite, a flatterer of the "nobs."—University.
suck the mop
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
suck up
"to SUCK UP to a person," to insinuate oneself into his good graces.
suck-casa
A public-house.—Lingua Franca.
suds
In the suds; in trouble, in a disagreeable situation, or involved in some difficulty.
sufferer
A tailor; the loser at any game.
sugar sops
Toasted bread soked in ale, sweetened with sugar, and grated nutmeg: it is eaten with cheese.
suicide
Four horses driven in a line. See HARUM-SCARUM.
sulky
A one-horse chaise or carriage, capable of holding but one person: called by the French a DESOBLIGEANT.
sulky
A one-horse chaise, having only room for one person. Used nowadays only in trotting matches.
sumsy
An action of assumpsit.—Legal Slang.
sun
To have been in the sun; said of one that is drunk.
sun in the eyes
Too much drink. A person who is tipsy is said to have the SUN IN HIS EYES. He is also said to have been "standing too long in the SUN."
sunburnt
Clapped; also haying many male children.
sunday man
One who goes abroad on that day only, for fear of arrests.
sunny bank
A good fire in winter.
supe
Or super, abbreviation of SUPERNUMERARY.—Theatrical.
super
A watch; SUPER-SCREWING, stealing watches.
supernacolum
Good liquor, of which there is not even a drop left sufficient to wet one's nail.
supouch
A landlady of an inn, or hostess.
surf
An actor who frequently pursues another calling.—Theatrical. SURF, or SERF, is also a term much in use among the lower orders to denote a crawling or sycophantic wretch.
surveyor of the pavement
One standing in the pillory.
sus per coll
Hanged: persons who have been hanged are thus entered into the jailor's books.
suspence
One in a deadly suspence; a man just turned off at the gallows.
suspicion
A scarcely perceptible flavour; as, "There was just a SUSPICION of oil in the mixture." French, SOUPÇON.
sutrer
A camp publican: also one that pilfers gloves, tobacco boxes, and such small moveables.
swabbers
The ace of hearts, knave of clubs, ace and duce of trumps, at whist: also the lubberly seamen, put to swab, and clean the ship.
swaddler
A Wesleyan Methodist; a name originally given to members of that body by the Irish mob; said to have originated with an ignorant Romanist, to whom the words of the English Bible were a novelty, and who, hearing one of John Wesley’s preachers mention the swaddling clothes of the Holy Infant, in a sermon on Christmas-day at Dublin, shouted out in derision, "A SWADDLER! a SWADDLER!" as if the whole story were the preacher’s invention.—Southey’s Life of Wesley, vol. ii. p. 109.
swaddlers
The tenth order of the canting tribe, who not only rob, but beat, and often murder passenges. CANT. Swaddlers is also the Irish name for methodist.
swaddy
Or COOLIE, a soldier. The former was originally applied to a discharged soldier, and perhaps came from SHODDY, which is made from soldiers’ and policemen’s worn-out coats. The term was one of opprobrium, and was probably the result of a long peace, for it became obsolete as soon as the Crimean War commenced.
swag
A shop. Any quantity of goods. As, plant the swag; conceal the goods. Rum swag; a shop full of rich goods. CANT.
swag
A lot or plenty of anything, a portion or division of property. In Australia the term is used for the luggage carried by diggers. Scotch, SWEG, or SWACK; German, SWEIG, a flock. Old cant for a shop.
swag-shop
A warehouse where "Brummagem" and general wares, fancy trinkets, plated goods, &c., are sold. Jews are the general proprietors; and the goods are very low-priced, trashy, and showy. SWAG-SHOPS were formerly plunder depôts.—Old Cant.
swagger
To bully, brag, or boast, also to strut.
swagsman
One who carries the booty after a burglary.
swank
To boast or "gas" unduly.
swankey
Cheap or small beer. Any weak fermented beverage.