paper reports of the trial for the gold robberies on the South-Western Railway.) Other similar replies, "I have been MAKING A TRUNDLE FOR A GOOSE'S EYE," or "a WHIM-WHAM TO BRIDLE A GOOSE."

WEDGE, silver.-Old Cant.

WEDGE-FEEDER, a silver spoon.

WEED, a cigar; the WEED, tobacco generally.

WEED, a hat-band

WEJEE, a chimney-pot. Often applied to any clever invention, as "that's a regular WEJEE.'

WELCHER, a person who makes a bet without the remotest chance of being able to pay, and, losing it, absconds, or "makes himself scarce." In the betting ring a WELCHER is often very severely handled upon his swindling practices being discovered. The Catterick "Clerk of the Course," once provided some stout labourers and a tar-barrel for the special benefit of the WELCHERS who might visit that neighbourhood. The word is modern, but the practice is ancient.

"One Moore, the unworthy incumbent of the 'Suffolk Curacy,' dedicated a book to 'Duke Humphrey,' and was then entirely lost sight of by his old college friends, till one of them espied him slung up in the basket,' for not paying his bets at a cock-pit."-Post and Paddock.

WELL, to pocket, or place as in a well.

WEST CENTRAL, a water-closet, the initials being the same as those of the London Postal District. It is said that for this reason very delicate people refuse to obey Rowland Hill's instructions in this particular. An old maid, who lived in this district, was particularly shocked at having w.c. marked on all her letters, and informed the letter-carrier that she could not think of submitting to such an indecent fashion. On being informed that the letters would not be forwarded without the obnoxious initials, she remarked that she would have them left at the Post-Office. "Then, marm," said the fellow, with a grin, "they will put P.O. on them, which will be more 'ondacenter than the tother."" WET, a drink, a "drain."

WET, to drink. Low people generally ask an acquaintance to WET any recently-purchased article, i.e., to stand treat on the occasion; "WET your whistle," i.e., take a drink; "WET the other eye," i.e., take another glass.-See SHED A TEAR.

WET QUAKER, a drunkard of that sect; a man who pretends to be religious, and is a dram-drinker on the sly.

WET 'UN, a diseased cow, unfit for human food, but nevertheless sold to make into sausages.—Compare STAGGERING-BOB.

WHACK, a share or lot; "give me my WHACK," give me my share.-Scotch,

SWEG, or SWACK.

WHACK, or WHACKING, a blow, or a thrashing.

WHACK, to beat.

WHACKING, large, fine, or strong.

WHALE, “very like a WHALE in a teacup," said of anything that is very improbable; taken from a speech of Polonius's in Hamlet.

寫

"WHAT D'YE CALL'EM, a similar expression to THINGUMY.

WHEEDLE, to entice by soft words.

"This word cannot be found to

derive itself from any other, and is therefore looked upon as wholly invented by the CANTERS."-Triumph of Wit, 1705.

WHERRET, or WORRIT, to scold, trouble, or annoy.-Old English.

WHID, a word.-Old Gipsy Cant.

WHID, a fib, a falsehood, a word too much.-Modern Slang from the
Ancient Cant.

WHIDDLE, to enter into a parley, or hesitate with many words, &c.; to
inform, or discover.-See WHEEDLE.

WHIM-WHAM, an alliterative term, synonymous with FIDDLE-FADDLE,
RIFF-RAFF, &c., denoting nonsense, rubbish, &c.

WHIP, after the usual allowance of wine is drunk at mess, those who wish
for more put a shilling each into a glass handed round to procure a
further supply.-Naval and Military.

WHIP, to "WHIP anything up," to take it up quickly; from the method of
hoisting heavy goods or horses on board ship by a WHIP, or running
tackle, from the yard-arm. Generally used to express anything dis-
honestly taken.-L'Estrange and Johnson.

WHIP JACK, a sham shipwrecked sailor, called also a TURNPIKE SAILOR.
“WHIP THE CAT," when an operative works at a private house by the
day. Term used amongst tailors and carpenters.

WHIPPER-IN, the member of the House of Commons whose duty it is to
collect and keep together his party to vote at divisions. To give him
greater influence, the ministerial WHIPPER-IN holds, or is supposed to
hold, the minor patronage of the Treasury.-See WOODEN SPOON.
WHIPPER-SNAPPER, a waspish, diminutive person.

WHISKER. There is a curious Slang phrase connected with this word. When an improbable story is told, the remark is, "the mother of that was a WHISKER," meaning it is a lie.

WHISTLE, "as clean as a WHISTLE," neatly, or "SLICKLY done," as an American would say; "to WET ONE'S WHISTLE," to take a drink. This last is a very old expression. Chaucer says of the Miller of Trumpington's wife (Canterbury Tales, 4153)—

"So was hir joly WHISTAL Well Y-WET;"

"to WHISTLE FOR ANYTHING," to stand small chance of getting it, from the nautical custom of WHISTLING for a wind in a calm, which of course comes none the sooner for it.

WHITECHAPEL, or WESTMINSTER BROUGHAM, a costermonger's donkeybarrow.

WHITECHAPEL, the "upper-cut," or strike.-Pugilistic.

WHITECHAPEL, in tossing, two out of three wins.-See SUDDEN DEATH.
WHITECHAPEL FORTUNE, a clean gown and a pair of pattens,

WHITE FEATHER, "to shew the WHITE FEATHER," to evince cowardice. In times when great attention was paid to the breeding of game-cocks, a white feather in the tail was considered a proof of cross-breeding. WHITE LIE, a harmless lie, one told to reconcile people at variance; "mistress is not at home, sir," is a WHITE LIE often told by servants WHITE-LIVERED, or LIVER-FACED, cowardly, much afraid, very mean. WHITE PROP, a diamond pin.-East London.

WHITE SATIN, gin,-term amongst women.-See SATIN.

WHITE SERJEANT, a man's superior officer in the person of his better. half.

WHITE TAPE, gin,-term used principally by female servants.-See

RIBBON.

WHITEWASH, when a person has taken the benefit of the Insolvent Act he is said to have been WHITEWASHED.

WHITEWASH, a glass of sherry as a finale, after drinking port and claret. WHITE WINE, the fashionable term for gin.

WHOP, to beat, or hide. Corruption of WHIP; sometimes spelled WAP. WHOP-STRAW, Cant name for a countryman; Johnny WHOP-STRAW, in allusion to threshing

WHOPPER, a big one, a lie.

WIDDLE, to shine. -See OLIVER.

WIDE-AWAKE, a broad brimmed felt, or stuff hat,-so called because it never had a nap, and never wants one.

WIDO, wide awake, no fool.

WIFFLE-WOFFLES, in the dumps, sorrow, stomach ache.

WIG, move off, go away.-North Country Cant.

WIGGING, a rebuke before comrades. If the head of a firm calls a clerk into the parlour, and rebukes him, it is an EARWIGGING; if done before the other clerks, it is a WIGGING.

WILD, a village.-Tramps' term.-See VILE.

WILD, vexed, cross, passionate, said to be from WILLED (SELF-WILLED) in opposition to "tamed" or "subdued." In the United States the word mad is supplemented with a vulgar meaning similar to our Cockneyism WILD; and to make a man MAD on the other side of the Atlantic is to vex him, or "rile" his temper-not to render him a raving maniac, or a fit subject for Bedlam.

WILD OATS, youthful pranks.

WILLIAM, a bill. The derivation is obvious.

WIFE, a fetter fixed to one leg.-Prison.

WIND, "to raise the WIND," to procure money; "to slip one's WIND," coarse expression meaning to die.-See RAISE.

WIND, "I'll WIND your cotton," i.e., I will give you some trouble. The Byzantine General, Narses, used the same kind of threat to the Greek Empress," I will spin such a thread that they shall not be able to unravel."

WINDOWS, the eyes, or "peepers."

WINEY, intoxicated.

WINKIN," he went off like WINKIN," ie., very quickly. Probably connected with WINK, to shut the eye quickly.

WINKS, periwinkles.

WINN, a penny.-Ancient Cant.-See ante, page 20.

WIPE, a pocket-handkerchief.-Old Cant.

WIPE, a blow. Frequently sibilated to SWIPE, a cricket term.

WIPE, to strike; "he fetcht me a WIPE over the knuckles," he struck me on the knuckles; "to WIPE a person down," to flatter or pacify; to WIPE off a score, to pay one's debts, in allusion to the slate or chalk methods of account-keeping; "to WIPE a person's eye," to shoot game which he has missed-Sporting term; hence to obtain an advantage by superior activity. With old topers WIPING ONE'S EYE," is equivalent to giving or taking another drink,

WIRE-IN, a London street phrase in general use at the present time, the meaning of which I have not been able to discover.

WOBBLE-SHOP, where beer is sold without a licence.

WOODEN SPOON, the last junior optime who takes a University degree; denoting one who is only fit to stay at home, and stir porridge.Cambridge. The expression is also Parliamentary Slang-See the following :

"WOODEN SPOON.-We have said that a rigorous account is kept of all the divisions, and that every vote of every member of the Government is posted. We will now tell our readers what is done with this list. Every year at the close of the session, as our readers know, the Ministers dine together at the Trafalgar. Well, after dinner, the chief whip produces his account and reads it aloud; and it is said that the man whose name appears in the division-list the smallest number of times has a WOODEN SPOON presented to him. When the Derbyites were in power last, Sir John Pakington, it is asserted, was the successful candidate for the SPOON, Mr Whiteside presenting it to the right honourable Baronet with infinite humour and fun. Why a wooden spoon is used we cannot tell. Perhaps in ancient times the poor man got that and nothing else. If any of our readers should be curious to know what is really symbolised by this ceremony, let them understand that we cannot help them. We refer them to the editor of Notes and Queries." -Illustrated Times.

WOODEN SURTOUT, a coffin, generally spoken of as a wooden surtout with nails for buttons.

WINDED-SETTLED, transported for life.

WIRE, a thier with long fingers, expert at picking ladies' pockets

WOODEN WEDGE, the last name in the classical honours list at Canbridge. The last in mathematical honours had long been known as the woODEN SPOON; but when the classical Tripos was instituted, in 1824, it was debated among the undergraduates what sobriquet should be given to the last on the examination list. Curiously enough, the name that year which happened to be last was WEDGEWOOD (a distinguished Wrangler.) Hence the title.

WOOLBIRD, a lamb; "wing of a WOOLBIRD," a shoulder of lamb.

The "Wedge" and the "Spoon."

WOOL-GATHERING, said of any person's wits when they are wandering,

or in a reverie.-Florio.

WOOL HOLE, the workhouse.
WOOLLY, out of temper.

WOOLLY, a blanket.

WORK, to plan, or lay down and execute any course of action, to perform anything; "to WORK the BULLS," i.e., to get rid of false crown pieces; to WORK the ORACLE," to succeed by manoeuvring, to concert a wily plan, to victimise, a possible reference to the stratagems and bribes used to corrupt the Delphic oracle, and cause it to deliver a favourable response. "TO WORK a street or neighbourhood," trying at each house to sell all one can, or so bawling that every housewife may know what you have to sell. The general plan is to drive a donkey barrow a short distance, and then stop and cry. The term implies thoroughness; to 66 WORK a street well" is a common saying with a coster.

WORM.-See PUMP.

WORM, the latest Slang term for a policeman.

WORMING, removing the beard of an oyster or muscle.

W. P., or WARMING-PAN, a clergyman who holds a living pro tempore, under a bond of resignation, is styled a w. P., or WARMING-PAN rector, because he keeps the place warm for his successor.-Clerical Slang. WRINKLE, an idea, or fancy; an additional piece of knowledge which is supposed to be made by a WRINKLE à posteriori.

WRITE, "to WRITE ONE'S NAME on a joint," to have the first cut at any thing; leaving sensible traces of one's presence on it.

WYLO, be off.—Anglo-Chinese.

WOOL, courage, pluck; "you are not half-wOOLED," term of reproach from one thief to another.

X, LETTER X, a method of arrest used by policemen with desperate ruffians, -by getting a firm grasp on the collar, and drawing the captive's hand over the holding arm, and pressing the fingers down in a peculiar way -the captured person's arm in this way can be more easily broken than extricated