seven-pennorth
Transportation for seven years.
English · UK & Ireland 2057
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Expressions you’ll hear in Britain and Ireland — distinctly British usage first, then widespread staples.
seven-sided animal
A one-eyed man or woman, each having a right side and a left side, a fore side and a back side, an outside, an inside, and a blind side.
seven-up
The game of all-fours, when played for seven chalks—that is, when seven points or chalks have to be made to win the game.
sevendible
A very curious word, used only in the North of Ireland, to denote something particularly severe, strong, or sound. It is, no doubt, derived from sevendouble—that is, sevenfold—and is applied to linen cloth, a heavy beating, a harsh reprimand, &c.
sewed-up
Done up, used up, intoxicated. Dutch, SEEUWT, sick.
sewn-up
Quite worn-out, or "dead beat."
sey
Yes. Pronounced SEE.
sh-t-ng through the teeth
Vomiting. Hark ye, friend, have you got a padlock on your a-se, that you sh-te through your teeth? Vulgar address to one vomiting.
shabbaroon
An ill-dressed shabby fellow; also a mean-spirited person.
shack
A "chevalier d’industrie." A scamp, a blackguard.—Nottingham.
shack-per-swaw
Every one for himself,—a phrase in use amongst the lower orders at the East-end of London, derived apparently from the French, CHACUN POUR SOI.
shackly
Loose, rickety.—Devonshire.
shady
An expression implying decadence. On "the SHADY side of forty" implies that a person is considerably older than forty. SHADY also means inferiority in other senses. A "shady trick" is either a shabby one, mean or trumpery, or else it is one contemptible from the want of ability displayed. The SHADY side of a question is, and fairly enough too, that which has no brightness to recommend it.
shaftsbury
A gallon pot full of wine, with a cock.
shake
To shake one's elbow; to game with dice. To shake a cloth in the wind; to be hanged in chains.
shake
A disreputable man or woman.—North. In London a SHAKE is a prostitute.
shake the elbow
TO, a roundabout expression for dice-playing. To "crook the ELBOW" is an Americanism for "to drink."
shake-lurk
A false paper carried by an impostor, giving an account of a "dreadful shipwreck."
shakers
A Puritanical sect, almost peculiar to America, and not similar to our Quakers, as is generally believed. They have very strange notions on things in general, and especially on marriage and the connexion of the sexes.
shakes
A bad bargain is said to be "no great SHAKES;" "pretty fair SHAKES" is anything good or favourable.—Byron. In America, a fair SHAKE is a fair trade or a good bargain.
shakester
Or SHICKSTER, a female. Amongst costermongers this term is invariably applied to ladies, or the wives of tradesmen, and females generally, of the classes immediately above them. Amongst Jews the word signifies a woman of shady antecedents. Supposed to be derived from the Hebrew, SHIKTZA. It is generally pronounced "shickser."
shaky
Said of a person of questionable health, integrity, or solvency; at the Universities, of one not likely to pass his examination.
shaler
A girl. Corrupt form of Gaelic, CAILLE, a young woman.
shalley-gonahey
A smock-frock.—Cornish.
shallow
A WHIP hat, so called from the want of depth in the crown. LILLY SHALLOW, a WHITE Whip hat.
shallow
The peculiar barrow used by costermongers.
shallow-cove
A begging rascal, who goes about the country half naked, with the most limited amount of rags upon his person, wearing neither shoes, stockings, nor hat.
shallow-mot
A ragged woman,—the frequent companion of the SHALLOW-COVE.
shallows
"to go on the SHALLOWS," to go half naked.
sham
A cheat, or trick. To cut a sham; to cheat or deceive. Shams; false sleeves to put on over a dirty shirt, or false sleeves with ruffles to put over a plain one. To sham Abram; to counterfeit sickness.
sham
Contraction of champagne. In general use among the lower class of sporting men. Sometimes extended to SHAMMY.
sham Abraham
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
shandrydan
An old-fashioned or rickety conveyance of the "shay" order.
shandy-gaff
Ale and gingerbeer. Origin unknown, but use very common.
shanks naggy
To ride shanks naggy: to travel on foot. SCOTCH.
shanks’s mare
"to ride SHANK’S MARE," to go on foot.
shannon
A river in Ireland: persons dipped in that river are perfectly and for ever cured of bashfulness.
shant
A pot or quart; "SHANT of bivvy," a quart of beer.
shanty
A rude, temporary habitation. The word is principally employed to designate the huts inhabited by navigators, when constructing large lines of railway far distant from towns. It is derived from the French CHANTIER, used by the Canadians for a log hut, and has travelled from thence, by way of the United States, to England.
shapes
To shew one's shapes; to be stript, or made peel, at the whipping-post.
shapes
"to cut up" or "show SHAPES," to exhibit pranks, or flightiness.
shark
A sharper: perhaps from his preying upon any one he can lay hold of. Also a custom-house officer, or tide-waiter. Sharks; the first order of pickpockets. BOW-STREET TERM, A.D. 1785.
shark
A sharper, a swindler. Bow Street term in 1785, now in most dictionaries.—Friesic and Danish, SCHURK. See LAND-SHARK.
sharp
Subtle, acute, quick-witted; also a sharper or cheat, in opposition to a flat, dupe, or gull. Sharp's the word and quick's the motion with him; said of any one very attentive to his own interest, and apt to take all advantages. Sharp set; hungry.
sharp
Or SHARPER, a cunning cheat, a rogue,—the opposite of FLAT.
sharper
A cheat, one that lives by his wits. Sharpers tools; a fool and false dice.
sharp’s-alley blood-worms
Beef sausages and black puddings. Sharp’s Alley was, until City improvements caused it to be destroyed, a noted slaughtering-place near Smithfield.
shave
A false alarm, a hoax, a sell. This term was much in vogue in the Crimea during the Russian campaign,—that is, though much used by the military before then, the term did not, until that period, become known to the general public.
shaver
A cunning shaver; a subtle fellow, one who trims close, an acute cheat. A young shaver; a boy. SEA TERM.
shaver
A sharp fellow; there are young and old SHAVERS.—Sea.
shavings
The clippings of money.
she house
A house where the wife rules, or, as the term is, wears the breeches.
she napper
A woman thief-catcher; also a bawd or pimp.
shebeen
An unlicensed place where spirituous liquors are illegally sold. A word almost peculiar to Ireland.
shed a tear
cry a little, often because of sadness
sheeny
A Jew. This word is used by both Jew and Gentile at the East-end of London, and is not considered objectionable on either side.
sheep's head
Like a sheep's head, all jaw; saying of a talkative man or woman.
sheepish
Bashful. A sheepish fellow; a bashful or shamefaced fellow. To cast a sheep's eye at any thing; to look wishfully at it.
sheep’s eyes
Loving looks, "to make SHEEP’S EYES at a person," to cast amorous glances towards one on the sly.
shelf
On the shelf, i.e. pawned.