constable
"to overrun the CONSTABLE," to exceed one’s income, or get deep in debt. The origin of this phrase is unknown, but its use is very general.
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constant dropping wears away the stone
Persistent effort can overcome even the hardest obstacles
Constituent Assembly
The first of the national assemblies of the French Revolution; so called because its chief work was the drawing up of a new constitution for France. It sat from 1788 to 1791.
constitutional
A walk, or other exercise taken for the benefit of the health.
consumah
A butler.—Anglo-Indian.
contain multitudes
Have many different and sometimes contradictory aspects or qualities
contango
Among stockbrokers and jobbers, is a certain sum paid for accommodating a buyer or seller, by carrying the engagement to pay money or deliver shares over to the next account day.
Contempt of Court
Refusing to conform to the rules of the law courts. Consequential contempt is that which tends to obstruct the business or lower the dignity of the court by indirection. Direct contempt is an open insult or resistance to the judge or others officially employed in the court.
content
The cull's content; the man is past complaining: a saying of a person murdered for resisting the robbers. CANT.
Continence of a Scipio
It is said that a beautiful princess fell into the hands of Scipio Afncanus, and he refused to see her, *'lest he should be tempted to forget his principles." Similar stories, whether fable or not, are told of many historical characters, including Cyrus and Alexander.
Continental System
A name given to Napoleon's plan for shutting out Great Britain from all commerce with the continent of Europe. He forbade under pain of war any nation of Europe to receive British exports, or to send imports to any of the British domin- ions. It began November 21st, 1806.
continuations
Coverings for the legs, whether trousers or breeches. A word belonging to the same squeamish, affected family as unmentionables, inexpressibles, &c.
contra bonos mores
Not in accord- ance with good manners; not comme il faut (q.v.).
contra dance
A dance where the dancers of the different sexes stand opposite each other, instead of side by side, as in the minuet, rigadoon, louvre, &c. and now corruptly called a country dance.
contra jus gentium
Against the law of nations; specially applied to usages m war which are contrary to the laws or customs of civilized peoples.
contribute to something
Help or add to something
control over somebody
Power or influence to direct someone's actions
conundrums
Enigmatical conceits.
conveniency
A necessary. A leathern conveniency, a coach.
Conventicle Act
An Act passed in 1664 declaring that a meeting of more than five persons held for religious worship and not in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer was a seditious assembly.
convey
To steal; "CONVEY, the wise it call."
conveyancer
A pickpocket. Shakspeare uses the cant expression CONVEYER, a thief. The same term is also French slang.
conybeare’s
(Dean) Essay on Church Parties, reprinted from the Edinburgh Review, No. CC., October, 1853, 12mo. 1858.
coo
Cool.
cooey
The Australian bush-call, now not unfrequently heard in the streets of London.
cook
A term well known in the Bankruptcy Courts, in reference to accounts that have been meddled with, or COOKED, by the bankrupt; also to form a balance-sheet from general trade inferences; stated by a correspondent to have been first used in reference to the celebrated alteration of the accounts of the Eastern Counties Railway, by George Hudson, the Railway King. Any unfair statements of accounts or reports are now said to be COOKED.
cook someone's goose
to ruin someone's plans or chances
cook up a storm
To cook very actively or skillfully
cookie pusher
A waitress.
cookies and cream
a flavor of ice cream with cookies mixed in
cooking with gas
performing well or successfully
cool cat
A person who is fashionable and impressive
cool head
Remains calm in stressful situations
cool him
Look at him. A phrase frequently used when one costermonger warns another of the approach of a policeman, or when any person worthy of notice passes by.
cool lady
A female follower of the camp, who sells brandy.
cool one's heels
To wait patiently or be kept waiting
cool one's jets
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
cool tankard
Wine and water, with lemon, sugar, and burrage.
coolamundo
cool
cooler
The backside. Kiss my cooler. Kiss my a-se. It is principally used to signify a woman's posteriors.
cooler
A glass of porter as a wind up, after drinking spirits and water. This form of drinking is sometimes called "putting the beggar on the gentleman."
coolie
A soldier, in allusion to the Hindoo COOLIES, or day labourers.
coom
Semen.
coon's age
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
cooped up
Imprisoned, confined like a fowl in a coop.
cooper
"stout half-and-half," i.e., half stout and half porter. Derived from the coopers at breweries being allowed so much stout and so much porter a day, which they take mixed.
cooter
A redneck.
cooter
"a sovereign."—See COUTER. Gipsy, CUTA.
cop
To seize or lay hold of anything unpleasant; used in a similar sense to catch in the phrase "to COP (or catch) a beating." "To get COPT," is to be taken by the police. Probable contraction of Lat. capere.
cop on
to realize or understand something
cop one's whack
to receive one's share or portion of something
cop oneself on
to calm down or regain control of oneself
cop out
To avoid responsibility or a difficult situation
cope with something
Deal successfully with a difficult situation
coper
Properly HORSE-COUPER, a Scotch horse-dealer,—used to denote a dishonest one. COPING, like jockeying, is suggestive of all kinds of trickery.
copper
A policeman, i.e., one who COPS, which see.
copper captain
A "Brummagem," or sham, captain; a man who "swanks about" with the title but has no right to it. Michael Perez is so called in Rule a Wife and have a Wife, by Beaumont and Fletcher.
Copper Nose
Oliver Cromwell; also called "Ruby Nose," "Nosey," and "Nose Al- mighty," no doubt from some scorbutic tendency which showed itself in a big red nose.
Copper-nose Harry
Henry VIII. When Henry VIII had spent all the money left him by his miserly father, he minted an inferior silver coin, in which the copper alloy soon showed itself on the more prominent parts, especially the nose of the face; and hence the people soon called the king "Old Copper- nose.
coppernose
A nose which is supposed to show a partiality on its owner’s part for strong drink. Synonymous with "jolly nose." Grog-blossoms are the jewels often set in a jolly nose.
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