mum glass
The monument erected on Fish-street Hill, London, in memory of the great fire in 1666.
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Expressions you’ll hear in Britain and Ireland — distinctly British usage first, then widespread staples.
mumble a sparrow
A cruel sport practised at wakes and fairs, in the following manner: A cock sparrow whose wings are clipped, is put into the crown of a hat; a man having his arms tied behind him, attempts to bite off the sparrow's head, but is generally obliged to desist, by the many pecks and pinches he receives from the enraged bird.
mumchance
An ancient game like hazard, played with dice: probably so named from the silence observed in playing at it.
mummer
A performer at a travelling theatre.—Ancient. Rustic performers at Christmas in the West of England.
mump
To beg. In Lincolnshire, Boxing-day is known as MUMPING DAY.
mumper
A beggar. A collector of holiday tribute.
mumpers
Originally beggars of the genteel kind, but since used for beggars in general.
mumpers hall
An alehouse where beggars are harboured.
mumps
The miserables. To feel MUMPISH is to be heavy, dull, and stupid.
mundungus
Bad or rank tobacco: from mondongo, a Spanish word signifying tripes, or the uncleaned entrails of a beast, full of filth.
mundungus
Trashy, coarse tobacco. Sometimes used to represent the half-soddened, half-calcined residuum at the bottom of an all-but-smoked-out pipe, which, when knocked out, is vulgarly called the TOPPER, q.v. Spanish, MONDONGO, black pudding.
mungarly
Bread, food. MUNG is an old word for mixed food, but MUNGARLY is doubtless derived from the Lingua Franca, MANGIAR, to eat. See the following.
mungarly casa
A baker’s shop; evidently a corruption of a Lingua Franca phrase for an eating-house. The well-known "Nix Mangiare" stairs at Malta derive their name from the endless beggars who lie there and shout, "Nix mangiare," i.e., "Nothing to eat," to excite the compassion of the English who land there,—an expression which exhibits remarkably the mongrel composition of the Lingua Franca, MANGIARE being Italian, and Nix (German, NICHTS), an evident importation from Trieste, or other Austrian seaport.
munging
Or MOUNGING, whining, begging, muttering.—North.
muns
The face, or rather the mouth: from the German word MUND, the mouth. Toute his muns; look at his face.
muns
The mouth. German, MUND.—Old Cant.
munster heifer
An Irish woman. A woman with thick legs is said to be like a Munster heifer; i.e. beef to the heels.
mur
Rum. A "nettock o’ MUR" is a quartern of rum.
murder
He looked like God's revenge against murder; he looked angrily.
murerk
The mistress of the house. See BURERK.
murkarker
A monkey,—vulgar Cockney pronunciation of MACAUCO, a species of monkey. Jacko Macauco, or Maccacco, as he was mostly called, was the name of a famous fighting monkey, who used nearly fifty years ago to display his prowess at the Westminster pit, where, after having killed many dogs, he was at last "chawed up" by a bull terrier.
murphy
A potato. Probably from the Irish national liking for potatoes, MURPHY being a surname common amongst the Irish. MURPHIES (edible) are sometimes called DONOVANS.
mush
An umbrella. Contraction of MUSHROOM.
mushroom
A person or family suddenly raised to riches and eminence: an allusion to that fungus, which starts up in a night.
mushroom
A hat, shaped like the fungus from which it takes its name, often worn by demure ladies.
music
The watch-word among highwaymen, signifying the person is a friend, and must pass unmolested. Music is also an Irish term, in tossing up, to express the harp side, or reverse, of a farthing or halfpenny, opposed to the head.
muslin
A woman or girl; "he picked up a bit of MUSLIN."
musta
Or MUSTER, a pattern, one of a sort. Anglo-Indian term used in describing the make or pattern of anything. A sample of any kind of merchandize. This word is very generally used in commercial transactions all over the world.
mute
An undertaker's servant, who stands at the door of a person lying in state: so named from being supposed mute with grief.
mutton
In her mutton, i.e. having carnal knowledge of a woman.
mutton chops
A sheep’s-head. A man who has dined off sheep’s-head dignifies his meal by calling it MUTTON CHOPS (chaps).
mutton monger
A man addicted to wenching.
mutton-fist
An uncomplimentary title for any one having a large and muscular, bony, or coarse hand.
mutton-walk
The saloon at Drury Lane Theatre. A vulgar appellation applied to this place early in the last century, still in use in the neighbourhood of Covent Garden, which was formerly the great resort for the gay and giddy of both sexes.
muzzle
To fight or thrash; to throttle or garrotte.
muzzler
A violent blow on the mouth. The milling cove tipped the cull a muzzler; the boxer gave the fellow a blow on the mouth.
muzzler
A blow in the mouth; a dram of spirits.
my aunt
AUNT JONES, or MRS. JONES, the closet of decency, or house of office.
my lord
A nickname given to a hunchback.
my tulip
A term of endearment used by the lower orders to persons and animals; "‘Kim up, MY TULIP,’ as the coster said to his donkey when thrashing him with an ash stick."
my uncle
The pawnbroker,—generally used when any person questions the whereabouts of a domestic article. "Oh! only at MY UNCLE’S" is the reply. "Up the spout" has the same meaning. It is worthy of remark that the French call this useful relative "ma tante," my aunt.
myrmidons
The constable's assistants, watchmen, &c.
n. c
"enough said," being the initials of NUF CED. A certain theatrical manager spells, it is said, in this style.
nab
To catch, to seize; "NAB the rust," to take offence.—Ancient, fourteenth century. See NAP.
nabob
An Eastern prince, a retired Indian official,—hence a slang term for a capitalist. From Nawaub.
nabs
Self; my NABS, myself; his NABS, himself.—North Country Cant.
nack
To have a nack; to be ready at any thing, to have a turn-for it.
nag
To persistently talk in a scolding manner, after the manner of Mrs. Caudle. NAGGING is supposed to be persistent, persevering, passionless scolding.
nail
To steal, or capture; "paid on the NAIL," i.e., paid ready money; NAILED, taken up, or caught,—probably in allusion to the practice of NAILING bad money to the counter. We say, "as dead as a door-NAIL;" most possibly because of "apt alliteration." Shakspeare has the expression in Henry IV.—
nailed
Secured, fixed. He offered me a decus, and I nailed him; he offered me a crown, and I struck or fixed him.
nam esclop
A policeman. See ESCLOP.
namby-pamby
Particular, over-nice, effeminate. This was possibly of Pope’s invention, and first applied by him to the affected short-lined verses addressed by Ambrose Phillips to Lord Carteret’s infant children. See Johnson’s Life of Pope.
nammow
A woman; DELO NAMMOW, an old woman.
nammus
Or NAMOUS, to be off, to get away; "let’s NAMMUS, somebody’s coming." See VAMOS.
nanny-shop
A disreputable house.
nantee
Not any, or "I have none." NANTEE also means "shut up!" or "leave off!" Italian, NIENTE, nothing. See DINARLY.—Lingua Franca.
nantee palaver
No conversation, i.e., hold your tongue. Very often in this sense also shortened to NANTEE only. Originally Lingua Franca, but now general.
nap
Or NAB, to take, steal, or receive; "you’ll NAP it," i.e., you will catch a beating.—North; also Old Cant.
nap nix
A person who works at his trade, and occasionally goes on the stage to act minor parts without receiving any pay. The derivation is obvious. See NAP and NIX, i.e., NICHTS.
nap one’s bib
To cry, shed tears, or carry one’s point.
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