squire of alsatia
A weak profligate spendthrift, the squire of the company; one who pays the whole reckoning, or treats the company, called standing squire.
English · UK & Ireland 17968
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Expressions you’ll hear in Britain and Ireland — distinctly British usage first, then widespread staples.
squirrel
A prostitute: because she like that animal, covers her back with her tail. Meretrix corpore corpus alit. Menagiana, ii. 128.
squirt
A doctor, or chemist.
squish
Common term among University men for marmalade.
st. martin’s lace
Imitation gold lace; stage tinsel.
stab
"STAB yourself and pass the dagger," help yourself and pass the bottle.—Theatrical Slang.
stab-rag
A regimental tailor.—Military Slang.
stag
To turn stag; to impeach one's confederates: from a herd of deer, who are said to turn their horns against any of their number who is hunted.
stag
A term applied during the railway mania to a speculator without capital, who took "scrip" in proposed lines, got the shares up to a premium, and then sold out. Caricaturists represented the house of Hudson, "the Railway King," at Albert Gate, with a STAG on it, in allusion to this term.
stage-whisper
One loud enough to be heard. From the stage "asides."
stagger
To surprise. "He quite STAGGERED me with the information."
staggering bob, with his yellow pumps
A calf just dropped, and unable to stand, killed for veal in Scotland: the hoofs of a young calf are yellow.
staggering-bob
An animal to whom the knife only just anticipates death from natural disease or accident,—said of meat on that account unfit for human food. Also a newly-born calf.
stale drunk
Unevaporated fumes of liquor. A man is said to be STALE DRUNK when he has been drunk overnight, and has doctored himself with stimulants a little too much in the morning—when he has tried too many of the "hairs of the dog that bit him." If this state of things is long continued, it is often called "same OLD DRUNK," from a well-known nigger story.
stalking-horse
Originally a horse covered with loose trappings, under which the mediæval sportsman concealed himself with his bow, so as to approach his game unobserved. Subsequently a canvas figure, made light, so as to be easily moved with one hand. Now used to represent any bugbear persistently paraded; any constant and unpleasant reference to the possible consequences of an act.
stall
To lodge, or put up at a public-house. Also, to act a part.—Theatrical.
stall your mug
Go away; spoken sharply by any one who wishes to get rid of a troublesome or inconvenient person.
stall-off
To put off by means of a device, to misdirect purposely.
stalling
Making or ordaining. Stalling to the rogue; an ancient ceremony of instituting a candidate into the society of rogues, somewhat similar to the creation of a herald at arms. It is thus described by Harman: the upright man taking a gage of bowse, i.e. a pot of strong drink, pours it on the head of the rogue to be admitted; saying,--I, A.B. do stall thee B.C. to the rogue; and from henceforth it shall be lawful for thee to cant for thy living in all places.
stalling ken
A broker's shop, or that of a receiver of stolen goods.
stallion
A man kept by an old lady for secret services.
stallsman
Sometimes STALL, an accomplice.
stamp
A particular manner of throwing the dice out of the box, by striking it with violence against the table.
stampers
Shoes.—Ancient Cant.
stand
"to STAND treat," to pay for a friend’s entertainment; to bear expense; to put up with treatment, good or ill, as, "Will you STAND that?" a question often asked when a man has been struck or insulted. Also in the sense of aggregate cost, as, "This house STOOD me in £1000;" i.e., cost that sum; "to STAND pad," to beg on the kerb with a small piece of paper pinned on the breast, inscribed, "I am starving."
stand-still
He was run to a stand-still; i.e. till he could no longer move.
standing
The position at a street corner, or on the kerb of a market street, regularly occupied by a costermonger, or street seller.
standing patterers
Men who take a stand on the kerb of a public thoroughfare, and deliver prepared speeches to effect a sale of any articles they have to vend. See PATTERER.
stangey
A tailor, a person under petticoat government,—derived from the custom of "riding the STANG," mentioned in Hudibras:—
stanley’s
Remedy, or the Way how to Reform Wandring Beggars, Thieves, &c., wherein is shewed that Sodomes Sin of Idleness is the Poverty and the Misery of this Kingdome, 4to. 1646.
star
A common abbreviation of the name of the well-known STAR AND GARTER Inn at Richmond. Clever people, who delight in altering names, call this hostelry the "Gar and Starter."
star gazer
A horse who throws up his head; also a hedge whore.
star it
To perform as the centre of attraction, with inferior subordinates to set off one’s abilities.—Theatrical.
star lag
Breaking shop-windows, and stealing some article thereout.
starched
Stiff, prim, formal, affected.
starchy
Stuck-up, high-notioned, showily dressed, stiff and unbending in demeanour.
stark-naked
Originally STRIP-ME-NAKED, vide Randall’s Diary, 1820, raw gin.
starps
Sprats. } All these will take the s, which is now initial,
start
"the START," London,—the great starting-point for beggars and tramps. This is a term also used by many of superior station to those mentioned.
starter
One who leaves a jolly company, a milksop; he is no starter, he will sit longer than a hen.
starvation
Though now a recognised word, was originally slang. Its derivation is composite, and it was first introduced into the English language by Mr. Dundas, in a debate in the House of Commons on American affairs, in 1775. "I shall not," he said, "wait for the advent of STARVATION from Edinburgh to settle my judgment." From this he was always afterwards called STARVATION Dundas.—Horace Walpole’s Letters.
starve'em, rob'em, and cheat'em
Stroud, Rochester, and Chatham; so called by soldiers and sailors, and not without good reason.
starve’em
~Rob’em~, and ~Cheat’em~, the adjoining towns of Stroud, Rochester, and Chatham are so designated by soldiers and sailors; from some fancied peculiarities of the inhabitants.
stash
To stop. To finish. To end. The cove tipped the prosecutor fifty quid to stash the business; he gave the prosecutor fifty guineas to stop the prosecution.
stash
To cease doing anything, to refrain, be quiet, leave off; "STASH it, there, you sir!" i.e., be quiet, sir; to give over a lewd or intemperate course of life is to STASH it.
state
To lie in state; to be in bed with three harlots.
stay
To exhibit powers of endurance at walking, running, rowing, &c.
stayer
One likely to persevere, one not easily discouraged. It is usual for laudatores temporis acti connected with the turf to deplore the want of staying power which, according to their statements, characterizes the modern British racehorse; while others, connected and disconnected with sport, make similar remarks with reference to the modern British man. So far, however, both descriptions of old gentlemen have failed signally in endeavouring to make out a good case.
staytape
A taylor; from that article, and its coadjutor buckram, which make no small figure in the bills of those knights of the needle.
steam-engine
Potato-pie at Manchester is so termed.
steamer
A pipe. A swell steamer; a long pipe, such as is used by gentlemen to smoke.
steel
The house of correction.
steel
The House of Correction in London, formerly named the Bastile, but since shortened to STEEL. See BASTILE.
steel bar
A needle. A steel bar flinger; a taylor, stay-maker, or any other person using a needle.
steel-bar drivers
Or FLINGERS, journeymen tailors.
steenkirk
A muslin neckcloth carelessly put on, from the manner in which the French officers wore their cravats when they returned from the battle of Steenkirk.
steeple house
A name given to the church by Dissenters.
step it
To run away, or make off.
stephen
Money. Stephen's at home; i.e. has money.
stepney
A decoction of raisins of the sun and lemons in conduit water, sweetened with sugar, and bottled up.
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