MUDFOG, "The British Association for the Promotion of Science."

University. MUD-LARK, a man or woman who, with clothes tucked above knee, grovels through the mud on the banks of the Thames, when the tide is low, for silver spoons, old bottles, pieces of iron, coal, or any articles of the least value, deposited by the retiring tide, either from passing ships or the sewers. Occasionally applied to those men who cleanse the sewers, with great boots and sou' wester hats. Those who are employed in banks and counting-houses, in collecting and other outdoor duties, have also this appellation.

MUD-STUDENT, a farming pupil. The name given to the students at the Agricultural College, Cirencester.

MUFF, a silly, or weak-minded person; MUFF has been defined to be "a soft thing that holds a lady's hand without squeezing it." MUFFIN-WORRY, an old ladies' tea party.

MUFTI, the civilian dress of a naval or military officer when off duty.— Anglo-Indian. From an Eastern word signifying a clergyman or priest. MUG, the mouth, or face.-Old.

"GOBLET AND MUG.'-Topers should bear in mind that what they quaff from the goblet afterwards appears in the MUG."

MUG, to strike in the face, or fight. Also, to rob by the garrote. Gaelic, MUIG, to suffocate, oppress; Irish, MUGAIM, to kill, destroy.

MUG, "to MUG one's-self," to get tipsy.

MUGGING, a thrashing,-synonymous with SLOGGING, both terms of the "ring," and frequently used by fighting men.

MUGGY, drunk.

"

MUG-UP, to paint one's face.-Theatrical. To " cram for an examination.-Army.

MULL, "to make a MULL of it," to spoil anything, or make a fool of one'sself.-Gipsy.

MULLIGRUBS.-Vide MOLLYGRUBS.
MULLINGAR HEIFER, a girl with thick ankles.-Irish. The story goes
that a traveller, passing through Mullingar, was so struck with this
local peculiarity in the women, that he determined to accost the first
he met next. " May I ask," said he, "if you wear hay in your shoes?"
"Faith an' I do," said the girl, "and what then?" "Because," says
the traveller, "that accounts for the calves of your legs coming down
to feed on it."

MULTEE KERTEVER, very bad. Italian, MOLTO CATTIVO.-Lingua
Franca.

MUMMER, a performer at a travelling theatre.-Ancient. Rustic per-
formers at Christmas in the West of England.

MUMPER, a beggar.-Gipsy. Possibly a corruption of MUMMER. MUNDUNGUS, trashy tobacco. Spanish, MONDONGO, black pudding.-See the Gentleman's Magazine for 1821, vol. xxv. p. 137.

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 some 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 an evident importation from Trieste, or other Austrian seaport.

MUNGING, or “MOUNGING," whining, begging, muttering.—North.
MUNS, the mouth. German, MUND.-Old Cant.

MURERK, the mistress of the house.-See BURERK.

MURKARKER, a monkey,-vulgar Cockney pronunciation of MACAUCO, a species of monkey. Jackey Macauco was the name of a famous fighting monkey, which used about thirty 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 common surname amongst the Irish. See MIKE. MURPHIES (edible) are sometimes called DONOVANS.

MURPHY, "in the arms of MURPHY," i.e., fast asleep. Corruption of MOR

MUSH-(or MUSHROOM)-FAKER, an itinerant mender of umbrellas. MUSHROOM, an inelegant round hat worn by demure ladies. 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, from the cut of a coat to the plan of a palace. A sample of any kind of merchandise. This word is very generally used in commercial transactions all over the world.

a

MUTTON, a contemptuous term for a woman of bad character, sometimes varied to LACED MUTTON. The expression was used as a Cant term for "wild duck" in the reign of James I. As a Slang term it was employed by Ben Jonson in his masque of Neptune's Triumph, which was written for display at Court on Twelfth Night, 1623; "a fine LACED MUTTON or two," are the words applied to two wantons. Shakspeare has the term. In that class of English society which does not lay any claim to refinement, a fond lover is often spoken of as being "fond of his MUTTON."

MUTTON-CHOPS, a sheep's-head.

MUTTON-FIST, an uncomplimentary title for any one having a large coarse red 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, the mouth.

MUZZLE, to fight or thrash; to throttle or garrote.

MUZZY, intoxicated.-Household Words, No. 183.
MY AUNT, the closet of decency, or house of office.
MY LORD, a nickname given to a hunchback.

MY NABS, myself; in contradistinction to YOUR NIBS, which see.

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." NAB, to catch, to seize; "NAB the rust," to take offence.-Ancient, fourteenth century.—See NAP.

NABS, self; MY NABS, myself; HIS NABS, himself.-North Country Cant. NAB THE RUST, to take offence.

NABOB, an Eastern prince, a retired Indian official,—hence a Slang term for a capitalist.

NAIL, to steal, or capture; "paid on the NAIL," i.e., ready money; NAILED, taken up, or caught-probably in allusion to the practice of NAILING bad money to the counter. We say 66 as dead as a DOOR-NAIL;"

why? Shakspeare has the expression in Henry IV.

"Falstaff. What! is the old king dead?

Pistol. As NAIL in door."

66

99.66

A correspondent thinks the expression is only alliterative humour, and compares as flat as a flounder,' straight as a soldier," &c. "NAIL IN ONE'S COFFIN," a dram, "a drop o' sumat' short," a jocular, but disrespectful phrase, used by the lower orders to each other at the moment of lifting a glass of spirits to their lips. Well, good luck! here's another NAIL IN MY COFFIN." Another phrase with old topers is "SHEDDING A TEAR," also "WIPING AN EYE.

NAM, a policeman. Evidently Back Slang. NAMBY PAMBY, particular, over-nice, effeminate. This, I think, was 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.

NAMUS, or NAMOUS, some one, i.e., "be off, somebody is coming."--Back Slang, but general.-See VAMOS.

NANNY-SHOP, a disreputable house.

NANTEE, not any, or "I have none."
DINARLY.-Lingua Franca.

Italian, NIENTE, nothing.-See

NANTEE PALAVER, no conversation, i.e., hold your tongue.-Lingua Franca.-See PALAVER.

NAP, or NAB, to take, steal, or receive; "you'll NAP it," i.e., you will catch a beating.-North; also Old Cant. Bulwer's Paul Clifford.

NAP, to break, or rap with a hammer.-See KNAP.-North.

NAP, or NAPPER, a hat. From NAB, a hat, cap, or head.-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.

NATIONAL EXHIBITION, an execution at the Old Bailey; a term of the late Douglas Jerrold's, but now usual.

NARK, a person in the pay of the police; a common informer; one who gets his living by laying traps for publicans, &c.

NARK, to watch, or look after; NARK the titter;" watch the girl.
NARP, a shirt.-Scotch.

NARY ONE, provincial for NE'ER A ONE, neither.

NASTY, ill-tempered, cross-grained.

NATION, very, or exceedingly. Corruption of DAMNATION.

NATTY, pretty, neat, tidy.-Old.

NATURAL, an idiot, a simpleton.

NAVVY, an excavator employed in making railways, canals, &c. Origi nally Slang, but now a recognised term.

N. C., "enough said," being the initials of NuF CED. A certain manager, it is said, spells in this style.-Theatrical.

NEARDY, a person in authority over another; master, parent, or foreman. -North.

"NECK AND CROP," entirely, completely; "he chuck'd him NECK AND CROP out of window."

NECKINGER, a cravat.-See MUCKENGER.

NEDDY, a considerable quantity, as a NEDDY of fruit," "a NEDDY of fish," &c.-Irish Slang.

NECK, to swallow. NECK-OIL, drink of any kind.

"NECK AND NECK," horses run NECK AND NECK in a race when they are so perfectly equal that one cannot be said to be before the other. "NECK OR NOTHING," desperate.-Racing phrase.

NEDDY, a life preserver.-Contraction of KENNEDY, the name of the first man, it is said in St Giles's, who had his head broken by a poker.— Vide Mornings at Bow Street.

NEDDY, a donkey.

NED, a guinea. HALF-NED, half-a-guinea.

"NAP THE REGULARS," to divide the booty.

"NAP THE TEAZE," to be privately whipped in prison.

NED STOKES, the four of spades.-North Hants.-See Gentleman's Magazine for 1791, p. 141.

NEEDFUL, money, cash; the one thing NEEDFUL," for the accomplishment of most pet designs.

"NEVER TRUST ME," an ordinary phrase with low Londoners, and common in Shakspeare's time, vide Twelfth Night. It is generally used instead of an oath, calling vengeance on the asseverator, if such and such does not come to pass.

NEWMARKET, in tossing halfpence, when the game is "two out of three," that is, he who gains the first two tosses wins. When the first toss is decisive, the game is termed SUDDEN DEATH.

NIB-COVE, a gentleman. NIBSOMEST CRIBS, best or gentlemen's houses. -Beggar's Cant.

NIB-LIKE, gentlemanly.

NIBS, the master, or chief person; a man with no means but high pretensions,-a "shabby genteel."

NICK, or OLD NICK, the evil spirit.—Scandinavian, KNICKAR, one of the names of Odin, as the destroying or evil principle.

NICK, to hit the mark; "he's NICKED it," .e., won his point.

NICK-KNACK, a trifle.—Originally Cant.

NIGGLING, trifling, or idling; taking short steps in walking.-North.
NIL, half; half profits, &c.

NILLY-WILLY, i.e., Nill ye, will ye, whether you will or no, a familiar version of the Latin, NOLENS VOLENS.

NIMMING, stealing. Immediately from the German, NEHMEN. Motherwell, the Scotch poet, thought the old word NIM (to snatch or pick up) was derived from nam, nam, the tiny words or cries of an infant, when eating anything which pleases its little palate. A negro proverb has the word :

"Buckra man nam crab,
Crab nam buckra man."

Or, in the buckra man's language

"White man eat [or steal] the crab,
And the crab eats the white man."

NEEDY, a nightly lodger, or tramp.

NEEDY MIZZLER, a shabby person; a tramp who runs away without paying for his lodging.

NEWGATE FRINGE, or FRILL, the collar of beard worn under the chin; so called from its occupying the position of the rope when Jack Ketch operates. Another name for it is a TYBURN COLLAR.

NEWGATE KNOCKER, the term given to the lock of hair which coster-
mongers and thieves usually twist back towards the ear.
The shape

is supposed to resemble the knocker on the prisoners' door at Newgate -a resemblance that carries a rather unpleasant suggestion to the wearer. Sometimes termed a COBBLER'S KNOT, or COW-LICK, which see NIBBLE, to take, or steal. NIBBLER, a petty thief.