CROSSED, prohibited from taking food from the "Buttery.”—-— University. CROW, or COCK-CROW, to exult over another's abasement, as a fighting-cock does over his vanquished adversary.

CROW, "

FLUKE.

a regular CROW," a success, a stroke of luck,-equivalent to a

CROW, "I have a CROW to pick with you," i.e., an explanation to demand, a disagreeable matter to settle.

CRUG, food.-Household Words, No. 183. Peculiar to the Christ's Hospital boys, who apply it only to bread.

CRUMBS, "to pick up one's CRUMBS," to begin to have an appetite after an illness; to improve in health, circumstances, &c., after a loss thereof.

CRUMMY, fat, plump.--North.

CRUMMY-DOSS, a lousy or filthy bed.

CRUNCH, to crush. Corruption; or, perhaps from the sound of teeth grinding against each other.

CRUSH, to run, decamp rapidly. CRUSH DOWN SIDES, run to a place of safety, or the appointed rendezvous.-North Country Cant.

CRUSHER, a policeman.

CRUSHING, excellent, first-rate.

CRUSTY, ill-tempered, petulant, morose.-Old, said to be a corruption of the Anglo-Norman CORUSEUX.

CUB, a mannerless, uncouth lout.-See UNLICKED.

CUBITOPOLIS, an appellation given by Londoners to the Warwick and
Eccleston Square districts. Another name for it is MESOPOTAMIA.
CUE, properly the last word spoken by one actor, it being the CUE for the
other to reply.

CULL, a man or boy.-Old Cant. RUM CULL, the manager of a theatre.
CULLET, broken glass. French, CUEILLETTE, a gathering or collection.
CULLY GORGER, a companion, a brother actor. Theatrical. See GORGER.
CULVER-HEADED, weak and stupid.

CUMSHAW, a present or bribe.-Anglo-Chinese.

CUPBOARD-HEADED, an expressive designation of one whose head is both wooden and hollow.-Norfolk.

CUPBOARD-LOVE, affection arising from interested motives.

"A CUPBOARD LOVE is seldom true;

A love sincere is found in few."-Poor Robin.

CROSS COVE AND MOLLISHER, a man and woman who live by thieving.
CROSS-CRIB, a house frequented by thieves.

CROW, one who watches whilst another commits a theft, a confederate in a robbery. The CROW looks to see that the way is clear, whilst the SNEAK, his partner, commits the depredation.

CULE, thieves' term. Abbreviation of Reticule.

CULLING, or CULING, stealing from the carriages on race-courses.

H

CUP-TOSSER, a person who professes to tell fortunes by examining the grounds in tea or coffee cups. A cup or goblet, however, is the old mystic symbol of a juggler. French, JOUEUR DE GOBELET.

CURE, an odd person; a contemptuous term, abridged from CURIOSITY, which was formerly the favourite expression.-Compare STIPE. correspondent objects to this definition as insufficient and erroneous. A CURE, according to him, is an exceedingly cunning, clever chaffer, who does not vulgarly insult like the old chaffers, but keeps the person he is chaffing in an alternate state of anger and complaisance. The CURE is impertinent, but by his submissive manners, and the turns he gives the conversation, CURES the wounds as soon as he inflicts them. CURIOS, a corruption of "curiosities;" any articles of virtu brought from abroad. Used by naval and military travellers and others.-See

CURE.

CURRENCY, a person born in Australia is there termed CURRENCY, while natives of England are termed STERLING. The allusion is to the differ ence between colonial and imperial money.

CURSE, anything worthless. Corruption of the Old English word KERSE, a
Vision of
small sour wild cherry; French, CERISE; German, KIRSCH.
Piers Ploughman :—

"Wisdom and witt nowe is not worth a KERSE,

But if it be carded with cootis as clothers

Kembe their woole.'

The expression "not worth a CURSE," used frequently now-a-days, is therefore not properly profane, though it is frequently intensified by a still more profane expletive. Horne Tooke says from KERSE, or CRESS. Various hypotheses CURSE-OF-SCOTLAND, the Nine of Diamonds.

have been set up as to this appellation—that it was the card on which the "Butcher Duke" wrote a cruel order with respect to the rebels after the battle of Culloden;* that the diamonds are the nine lozenges in the arms of Dalrymple, Earl of Stair, detested for his share in the Massacre of Glencoe; that it is a corruption of Cross of Scotland, the nine diamonds being arranged somewhat after the fashion of a St Andrew's Cross; but the most probable explanation is, that in the game of Pope Joan the nine of diamonds is the POPE, of whom the Scotch have an especial horror.

CURTAIL, to cut off. Originally a Cant word-vide Hudibras, and Bacchus and Venus, 1737.

CUSHION, to hide or conceal.

CUSHION-SMITER, polite rendering of TUB-THUMPER, a clergyman, a preacher.

* The first supposition is evidently error.eous, for in Dr Houstoun's Memoirs of his own Lifetime, 1747, P. 92, the Jacobite ladies are stated to have nicknamed the Nine of Diamonds "the Justice-Clerk," after the rebellion of 1715, in allusion to the Lord Justice-Clerk Ormistone, who, for his severity in suppressing it, was called the Curse of Scotland. Gules a cross of lozenges are also the arms of Colonel Packer, who at tended Charles I. on the scaffold, and commanded in Scotland afterwards with great severity. See Chatto on the Origin and History of Playing Cards, p. 267.

CUSHMAWAUNEE, never mind. Sailors and soldiers who have been in India frequently say—

"CUSHMAWAUNEE,

If we cannot get arrack,
We must drink pawnee."

-Anglo-Indian.

66

CUSTOMER, synonymous with CHAP, a fellow; 'a rum CUSTOMER," i.e., a man likely to turn the tables on any one who attacked him, and therefore better be let alone, or very warily proceeded with; an "odd fish," or curious person.-Shakspeare.

CUSTOMHOUSE-OFFICER, an aperient pill.

CUT, to run away, move off quickly; to cease doing anything; CUT AND RUN, to quit work, or occupation, and start off at once-Sea phrase, "CUT the cable, and RUN before the wind;" to CUT DIDOES, synonymous with to CUT CAPERS; CUT A DASH, make a show; CUT A CAPER, to dance or shew off in a strange manner; CUT A FIGURE, to make either a good or bad appearance; CUT IT, desist, be quiet, go away, leave what you are doing and run; CUT IT SHORT, cease being prolix, "make short work" of what you have in hand; CUT OUT, to excel, thus in affairs of gallantry one Adonis is said to " CUT the other out" in the affections of the wished for lady-Sea phrase, from CUTTING out a ship from the enemy's port. CUT THAT! be quiet, or stop; CUT OUT OF, done out of; CUT OF ONE'S JIB, the expression or cast of his countenance, [see JIB;] TO CUT ONE'S COMB, to take down a conceited person, from the practice of cutting the combs of capons, [see COMB CUT;] CUT AND COME AGAIN, plenty, if one cut does not suffice, plenty remains to 'come again;" CUT UP, to mortify, to criticise severely, or expose; CUT UP SHINES, to play tricks; CUT ONE'S STICK, to be off quickly, i.e., to be in readiness for a journey, further elaborated into AMPUTATE YOUR MAHOGANY, [see STICK;] CUT IT FAT, to exaggerate or shew off in an extensive manner; to CUT UP FAT, to die, leaving a large property; CUT UNDER, to undersell; CUT YOUR LUCKY, to run off; CUT ONE'S CART, to expose their tricks; CUT AN ACQUAINTANCE, to cease friendly intercourse with them; 66 'CUT UP ROUGH," to become obstreperous and dangerous; TO HAVE CUT ONE'S EYE-TEETH, i.e., to be wide awake, knowing; TO DRAW CUTS, to cast lots with papers of unequal lengths-See Comedy of Errors, act v. scene I.-Cambridge. Old; CUTTE, to say.

CUT, in theatrical language, means to strike out portions of a dramatic piece, so as to render it shorter for representation. A late treasurer of one of the so-called Patent Theatres, when asked his opinion of a new play, always gave utterance to the brief, but safe piece of criticism, "wants CUTTING.'

CUT, tipsy.-Household Words, No. 183.

CUT, to compete in business; "a CUTTING trade," one conducted on competitive principles, where the profits are very closely shaved.

CUT-THROAT, a butcher, a cattle-slaughterer; a ruffian.

CUTE, sharp, cunning. Abbreviation of ACUTE.

CUTTER, a ruffian, a cut-purse.

Of Robin Hood it was said

"So being outlaw'd, (as 'tis told,)
He with a crew went forth

Of lusty CUTTERS, bold and strong,
And robbed in the north."

CUTTER, a swashbuckler-balaffreux, taillebras fendeur de naseaux.-

Cotgrave.

"He's out of cash, and thou know'st by CUTTER'S LAW,
We are bound to relieve one another,"

(N. H. W.)

-Match at Midn. O. Pl., vii. 553.

This ancient Cant word now survives in the phrase, "to swear like a

CUTTING-SHOP, a place where cheap rough goods are sold.

CUTTY PIPE, a short clay pipe. Scotch, CUTTY, short.

CUTTY-SARK, a short chemise.-Scotch. A scantily-draped lady is so

called by Burns.

DAB, or DABSTER, an expert person.

Latin adeptas.

DAB, a bed. Probably Back-Slang.

Most probably derived from the

DAB, street term for a flat fish of any kind.--Old.

DACHA-SALTEE, tenpence. Probably from the Lingua Franca. Modern Greek, deka; Italian, DIECI SOLDI, tenpence; Gipsy, DIK, ten. So also DACHA-ONE, i.e., dieci uno, elevenpence.-See SALTEE.

DADDLE, the hand; "tip us your DADDLE," ie., shake hands.

DADDY, the stage manager.-Theatrical.

away the bride at a wedding.

Also the person who gives

DAFFY, gin. A term with monthly nurses, who are always extolling the virtues of Daffy's Elixir, and who occasionally comfort themselves with a stronger medicine under Daffy's name.

DAGS, feat or performance; "I'll do your DAGS," i.e., I will do something that you cannot do.

DAISY-CUTTER, a horse that trots or gallops without lifting its feet much from the ground.

DAISY-KICKER, the name hostlers at large inns used to give each other, now nearly obsolete. DAISY-KICKER, or GROGHAM, was likewise the Cant term for a horse.

The DAISY-KICKERS were sad rogues in the old posting days; fre quently the landlords rented the stables to them, as the only plan to make them return a profit.

DAMAGE, in the sense of recompense; "what's the DAMAGE?" i.e., what is to pay?

DADDY; at mock raffles, lotteries, &c., the DADDY is an accomplice, most commonly the getter up of the swindle, and in all cases the person that has been previously arranged to win the prize.

DAMPER, a shop till; to DRAW A DAMPER, i.e., rob a till.

"DANCE UPON NOTHING," to be hanged.

DANDO, a great eater, who cheats hotels, eating shops, oyster-cellars, &c.; from a person of that name.

DANDER, passion, or temper; "to get one's DANDER up," to rouse his passion.-Old.

DANDY, a fop, or fashionable nondescript. This word, in the sense of a fop, is of modern origin. Egan says it was first used in 1820, and Bee in 1816. Johnson does not mention it, although it is to be found in all late dictionaries. DANDIES wore stays, studied feminity, and tried to undo their manhood. Lord Petersham headed them. At the present day dandies of this stamp are fast disappearing. The feminine of DANDY was DANDIZETTE, but the term only lived for a short season. DANDY, a small glass of whisky.-Irish. "Dimidium, cyathi vero apud Metropolitanos Hibernicos dicitur DANDY."-Father Tom and the Pope, Blackwood's Magazine for May 1838.

DANDY, a boatman.-Anglo-Indian.

DANDYPRAT, a funny little fellow, a mannikin; originally a halffarthing.

DANNA, human ordure; DANNA DRAG, a nightman's or dustman's cart; hence DUNNY-KEN, which see.

DARBLE, the devil.-French, DIABLE.

DARK, "keep it DARK," i.e., secret. DARK HORSE, in racing phraseology, a horse whose chance of success is unknown, and whose capabilities have not been made the subject of comment.

DARKEY, twilight; also a negro. DARKMANS, the night.

DARN, vulgar corruption of d--n.—American.

DASHING, showy, fast.

DAUB, in low language, an artist.

DAVID'S SOW, "as drunk as DAVID's sow," i.e., beastly drunk.-See origin of the phrase in Grose's Dictionary.

DAVY, "on my DAVY," on my affidavit, of which it is a vulgar corruption. Latterly DAVY has become synonymous in street language with the name of the Deity; "so help me DAVY," Slang rendering of the conclusion of the oath usually exacted of witnesses.

DANCERS, stairs.-Old Cant.

DANCER, OF DANCING-MASTER, a thief who prowls about the roofs of houses, and effects an entrance by attic windows, &c. Called also a Garreter. DARBIES, handcuffs.-Old Cant.-See JOHNY DARBIES. Sir Walter Scott mentions these, in the sense of fetters, in his Peveril of the Peak"Hark ye! Jem Clink will fetch you the DARBIES.' 'Derby!' interrupted Julian, has the Earl or Countess "".

Had Sir Walter known of any connexion between them and this family he would undoubtedly have mentioned it. The mistake of the speaker is corrected in the next paragraph.