tail-buzzer
A thief who picks coat-pockets.
English · UK & Ireland 17968
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Expressions you’ll hear in Britain and Ireland — distinctly British usage first, then widespread staples.
tail-down
"to get the TAIL DOWN," generally means to lose courage. When a professional at any game loses heart in a match he is said to get his TAIL DOWN. "His TAIL was quite DOWN, and it was all over." The origin is obvious.
take in
A cheating or swindling transaction,—sometimes termed "a dead TAKE IN." Shakspeare has TAKE IN in the sense of conquering. To be "had," or to be "spoken to," were formerly synonymous phrases with to be TAKEN IN.
take it out
To obtain value for money, labour, &c. A rich man is said to "TAKE IT (i.e., his money) OUT in fine footmen, fine feeding," &c. A poor man "TAKES IT (i.e., his trouble) OUT in drink."
taken in
Imposed on, cheated.
tale tellers
Persons said to have been formerly hired to tell wonderful stories of giants and fairies, to lull their hearers to sleep. Talesman; the author of a story or report: I'll tell you my tale, and my talesman. Tale bearers; mischief makers, incendiaries in families.
talk shop
To intrude oneself or one’s private business too freely into conversation. Any one who does this is said to be shoppy.
talking
A stable term, of a milder kind, applied to those horses which are addicted to ROARING. See the latter expression.
tall
Extensive, exaggerated,—generally applied to conversation, as "loud" is to dress, or personal appearance; "TALL talk that," i.e., conversation too boastful or high-flown to be true. Among pedestrians a great rate of speed is spoken of as TALL.
tall boy
A bottle, or two-quart pot.
tally
Five dozen bunches of turnips.—Costermongers’ term.
tally men
Brokers that let out clothes to the women of the town. See RABBIT SUCKERS.
tallyman
An accommodating salesman who takes payment by instalments to suit the convenience of the purchaser, but who is anything but accommodating when payments are irregular. TALLYMEN are the cause of much misfortune to the working classes, from their high and exorbitant rates, and the temptations they offer to weak-minded women, who purchase in haste and repent at leisure.
tame
To run tame about a house; to live familiarly in a family with which one is upon a visit. Tame army; the city trained bands.
tan
To beat or thrash; "I’ll TAN your hide," i.e., I’ll give you a good beating.
tandem
A two-wheeled chaise, buggy, or noddy, drawn by two horses, one before the other: that is, AT LENGTH.
tangier
A room in Newgate, where debtors were confined, hence called Tangerines.
tanner
A sixpence. The kiddey tipped the rattling cove a tanner for luck; the lad gave the coachman sixpence for drink.
tanner
A sixpence. Perhaps Gipsy, TAWNO, little, or Latin, TENER, slender.
tanny
Or TEENY, little. Gipsy, TAWNO, little.
tantadlin tart
A sirreverence, human excrement.
tantrems
Pranks, capers, frolicking; from the Tarantula dance. See account of the involuntary frenzy and motions caused by the bite of the tarantula in Italy.—Penny Cyclopædia.
tantrums
Pet, or passion: madam was in her tantrums.
tantrums
Ill-tempers. "He’s in his TANTRUMS this morning," is often said of a peevish, querulous man. They are not peculiar to the one sex, however.
tantwivy
Away they went tantwivy; away they went full speed. Tantwivy was the sound of the hunting horn in full cry, or that of a post horn.
taoc
A coat. "Cool the DELO TAOC" means, "Look at the old coat," but is really intended to apply to the wearer as well, as professors of mixed slangs might say, "Vardy his nibs in the snide bucket."
tap
A gentle blow. A tap on the shoulder;-an-arrest. To tap a girl; to be the first seducer: in allusion to a beer barrel. To tap a guinea; to get it changed.
tap-tub
The Morning Advertiser,—so called by vulgar people from the fact that this daily newspaper is the principal organ of the London brewers and publicans. Sometimes termed the Gin and Gospel Gazette, though this title is fast fading out since the paper has been in the hands of its present editor.
tape
Red tape; brandy. Blue or white tape; gin.
tape
Gin,—term with female servants. Also, a military term used in barracks when no spirits are allowed. See RIBBON.
taper
To give over gradually, to run short.
tappers
Shoulder tappers: bailiffs.
tar
Don't lose a sheep for a halfpennyworth of tar: tar is used to mark sheep. A jack tar; a sailor.
tar-brush
A person whose complexion indicates a mixture of negro blood, is said to have had a lick of the TAR-BRUSH. Sometimes a man of this description is said to have been dipped in the black-pot, and he is often reminded that "another dip would have done it," i.e., another dip would have made a negro of him.
tar-out
To punish, to serve out.
tarpawlin
A coarse cloth tarred over: also, figuratively, a sailor.
tarring and feathering
A punishment lately inflicted by the good people of Boston on any person convicted, or suspected, of loyalty: such delinquents being "stripped naked", were daubed all over wilh tar, and afterwards put into a hogshead of feathers.
tart
Sour, sharp, quick, pert.
tartar
To catch a Tartar; to attack one of superior strength or abilities. This saying originated from a story of an Irish-soldier in the Imperial service, who, in a battle against the Turks, called out to his comrade that he had caught a Tartar. 'Bring him along then,' said he. 'He won't come,' answered Paddy. 'Then come along yourself,' replied his comrade. 'Arrah,' cried he, 'but he won't let me.'--A Tartar is also an adept at any feat, or game: he is quite a Tartar at cricket, or billiards.
tartar
A savage fellow, an "ugly customer." To "catch a TARTAR," is to discover somewhat unpleasantly that a person is by no means so mild or good-tempered as he or she at first appeared.
tat
Tit for tat; an equivalent.
tat monger
One that uses false dice.
tater
"s’elp my TATER," an evasion of a profane oath, sometimes varied by "s’elp my greens."
tatler
A watch. To flash a tatler: to wear a watch.
tatler
A watch; "nimming a TATLER," stealing a watch.
tats
Old rags; milky TATS, white rags.
tatterdemalion
A ragged fellow, whose clothes hang all in tatters.
tattoo
A beat of the drum, of signal for soldiers to go to their quarters, and a direction to the sutlers to close the tap, and draw no more liquor for them; it is generally beat at nine in summer and eight in winter. The devil's tattoo; beating with one's foot against the ground, as done by persons in low spirits.
tattoo
A pony.—Anglo-Indian.
taw
A schoolboy's game, played with small round balls made of stone dust, catted marbles. I'll be one upon your taw presently; a species of threat.
taw
A large or principal marble; "I’ll be one on your TAW," I will pay you out, or be even with you,—a simile taken from boys aiming always at winning the TAW when playing at marbles.
tawdry
Garish, gawdy, with lace or staring and discordant colours: a term said to be derived from the shrine and altar of St. Audrey (an Isle of Ely saintess), which for finery exceeded all others thereabouts, so as to become proverbial; whence any fine dressed man or woman said to be all St Audrey, and by contraction, all tawdry.
tayle drawers
Thieves who snatch gentlemens swords from their sides. He drew the cull's tayle rumly; he snatched away the gentleman's sword cleverly.
taylors goose
An iron with which, when heated, press down the seams of clothes.
te-he
To titter, "Upon this I TE-HE’D."—Madame d’Arblay. As an interjection it is as old as Chaucer. See Miller’s Tale:—
tea gueland
Ireland. Teaguelanders; Irishmen.
tea-fight
An evening party, alias a "muffin-worry."
tea-spoon
Five thousand pounds. See SPOONS.
teagueland
Ireland. From the national character of the name TEAGUE.
teaich-gir
Right, otherwise TADGER.
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