mob
Swift informs us, in his Art of Polite Conversation, that MOB was, in his time, the slang abbreviation of "mobility," just as NOB is of "nobility," at the present day. See SCHOOL.
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mobile phone
a portable telephone
mobility
The mob: a sort of opposite to nobility.
mobility
The populace; or, according to Burke, the "great unwashed." Johnson calls it a cant term, although Swift notices it as a proper expression.
mockered
Holey, marked unpleasantly. A ragged handkerchief and a blotched or pitted face are both said to be MOCKERED.
mockie
A Jew.
moderation in all things
Avoid extremes and find a middle ground
modest proposal
A sarcastic suggestion made to criticize or expose a problem
modest quencher
A glass of spirits and water. Dick Swiveller was fond of a MODEST QUENCHER.
modus operandi
The mode of operation- the way in which a thing is done or should be done. Modus vivendi (Lat., way of living). A mutual arrangement whereby persons not at the time being on friendly terms can be induced to live together in harmony. The term may be applied to individuals, to societies, or to peoples.
moey
The mouth.—Gipsy and Hindoo. Shakspeare has MOE, to make mouths.
mofussilite
An inhabitant of an up-country district.—Anglo-Indian.
mogul cards
The best-quality playing-cards were so called because the wrapper, or the "duty-card** (cards are subject to excise duty) was decorated with a representation of the
mohair
A man in the civil line, a townsman, or tradesman: a military term, from the mohair buttons worn by persons of those descriptions, or any others not in the army, the buttons of military men being always of metal: this is generally used as a term of contempt, meaning a bourgeois, tradesman, or mechanic.
Mohammed and the spider
When Moham- med fled from Mecca he hid in a certain cave, with the Koreishites close upon him. Suddenly an acacia in full leaf sprang up at the mouth of the cave, a wood-pigeon had its nest in the branches, and a spider had woven its net between the tree and the cave. When the Koreishites saw this, they felt persuaded that no one could have entered recently, and went on.
mohammedan faith
The Moslems say every child is born in Islam, and would continue in the true faith if not led astray. The word means resignation or submission to the mil of God.
mohasky
Cannabis.
moiety
Half, but vulgarly used to signify a share or portion: as, He will come in for a small moiety.
moisten your chaffer
A slang phrase equivalent to "take something to drink." Also "moisten your clay," originally applied to smokers, now general, and supposed to have reference to the human clay.
mojado
wetback
moke
A donkey.—Gipsy, but now general to all the lower orders. A "coster" and his "moke" are almost inseparable terms. Probably derived originally from the Arabic al mocreve, a carrier.
moko
A name given by sportsmen to pheasants killed by mistake during September, before the pheasant-shooting comes in. They pull out their tails, and roundly assert that they are no pheasants at all, but MOKOS.
molar masher
A dentist.
molecatcher
The vagina.
molehill mountaineer
Someone who exaggerates or makes a big deal out of something small
moll
A girl; nickname for Mary.—Old Cant.
Moll Cutpurse
The familiar name of Mary Frith (about 1585-1660), a woman of masculine vigour, who not infrequently assumed man's attire. She was a notorious thief and once attacked General Fairfax on Hounslow Heath, for which she was sent to Newgate. She escaped by bribery, and died at last of dropsy. Middleton and Dekker's play, The Roaring Girl (1611) is founded on her doings.
moll thompson's mark
M. T. i.e. empty: as, Take away this bottle, it has Moll Thompson's mark upon it.
moll thomson’s mark
That is, M. T.—empty; as, "Take away this bottle, it has MOLL THOMSON’S MARK on it." See M. T.
moll-tooler
A female pickpocket.
molled
Followed, or accompanied by a woman. When a costermonger sees a friend walking with a woman he does not know, he says on the first opportunity afterwards, "I see yer the other night when yer was MOLLED up and too proud to speak."
mollisher
A low girl or woman; generally a female cohabiting with a man who gets his living by thieving.
mollsack
A reticule, or market basket.
molly
A Miss Molly; an effeminate fellow, a sodomite.
molly coddle
A pampered creature, afraid that the winds of heaven should visit him too roughly.
Molly Maguires
An Irish secret society organized m 1843. Stout, active young Irish- men dressed up in women's clothes and otherwise disguised themselves to surprise those employed to enforce the payment of rests. Their victims were ducked in bog-holes, and many were beaten most unmercifully.
Molly Mog
This celebrated beauty was an innkeeper's daughter, at Oakingham, Berks. She was the toast of the gay sparks of the first half of the 18th century, and died unmarried m 1766, at the age of sixty-seven.
mollycoddle
An effeminate man; one who "coddles" amongst the women, or does their work.
mollygrubs
Or MULLIGRUBS, stomach ache, or sorrow—which to the costermonger is much the same, as he believes, like the ancients, that the viscera is the seat of all feeling. Costermongers are not alone, even in the present day, in this belief.
molotov breadbasket
A canister of incend- iary bombs which, on being launched from a plane, opened and showered the bombs over a wide area.
molotov cocktail
A home-made anti-tank bomb, invented and first used by the Finns against the Russians (1940) and developed in England as one of the weapons of the Home
molrowing
"out on the spree," in company with so-called "gay women." In allusion to the amatory serenadings of the London cats. Another form of this is, "out on the tiles."
molson muscle
Beer belly.
mom and pop
a small, family-owned business
moment in the sun
A brief period of fame or success
mommy brain
a mental state of forgetfulness and distraction attributed to mothers
moncrieff’s
Tom and Jerry, or Life in London, a Farce in Three Acts, 12mo. 1820.
monday
Saint Monday. See SAINT.
monday-morning quarterback
Someone who criticizes or comments on a decision after it has been made
mondayish
Or Mondayfied, disinclined for work. "St. Monday" is a great institution among artizans and small tradesmen.
money
A girl's private parts, commonly applied to little children: as, Take care, Miss, or you will shew your money.
Money demands care, you abuse it and it disappears – Rashida Costa
Traditional English proverbial phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
money does not grow on trees
Money is not easily or freely available
money droppers
Cheats who drop money, which they pretend to find just before some country lad; and by way of giving him a share of their good luck, entice him into a public house, where they and their confederates cheat or rob him of what money he has about him.
money earned by deceit, goes by deceit
Wealth gained dishonestly is often lost in a similar manner
money for jam
Easy and profitable work
money for jam
Money (or money's worth) for nothing; an unexpected bit of luck.
money for old rope
Something very easy to do and requiring little effort to achieve
money is a good servant, but a bad master. (17th century)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
Money is like muck, not good except it be spread. (Francis Bacon)
Wealth is only beneficial when shared or used to help others
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