euphuism for dining not at all. Many reasons have been given for the saying, and the one most worthy of credence is this:-Some visitors were inspecting the abbey where the remains of Humphrey Duke of Gloucester lie, and one of them was unfortunately shut in, and remained there solus while his companions were feasting at a neighbouring hostelry. He was afterwards said to have dined with DUKE HUMPHREY, and the saying eventually passed into a proverb.

Dukes, or DOOKS, the hands, originally modification of the rhyming slang, "Duke of Yorks," forks fingers, hands-a long way round, but quite true. The word is in very common use among low folk, "Put up your DOOKS " is a kind invitation to fight.

Dukey, or DOOKEY, a penny gaff, which see.

Ori

Dumbfound, to perplex, to beat soundly till not able to speak. Johnson cites the Spectator for the earliest use.

ginally a cant word.

Scotch, DUMBFounder.

Dummacker, a knowing or acute person.

Dummies, empty bottles, and drawers in an apothecary's shop, labelled so as to give the idea of an extensive stock. Chandlers' shop keepers and small general dealers use dummies largely, half-tubs of butter, bladders of lard, hams, cheeses, &c., being specially manufactured for them. Dummies in libraries generally take the form of "Hume and Smollett's History of England" and other works not likely to tempt the general reader.

Dummy, a deaf-and-dumb person; a clumsy, awkward fellow; any one unusually thick-witted.

Dummy, in three-handed whist the person who holds two hands plays

DUMMY.

Dummy, a pocket-book. In this word the derivation is obvious, being connected with DUMB, i.e., that which makes no sound. As a thieves' term for a pocket-book, it is peculiarly applicable, for the contents of pocket-books, bank-notes and papers, make no noise, while the money in a purse may betray its presence by chinking.

Dump fencer, a man who sells buttons.

Dumpish, sullen or gloomy.

Dumpy, short and stout.

Dun, to solicit payment.-Old Cant, from the French DONNEZ, give; or from JOE DIN, or DUN, a famous bailiff; or simply a corruption of DIN, from the Anglo-Saxon DUNAN, to clamour.

Dunderhead, a blockhead.

Dundreary, an empty swell.

Dung, an operative who works for an employer who does not give full or society" wages.

Dungaree, low, common, coarse, vulgar.—Anglo-Indian. DUNGAREE is the name of a disreputable suburb of Bombay, and also of a coarse blue cloth worn by sailors.

"As smart a young fellow as ever you'd see,
In jacket and trousers of blue DUNGAREE.'

Dunkhorned, sneaking, shabby. DUNKHORN in Norfolk is the short, blunt horn of a beast, and the adjective is applied to a cuckold who has not spirit to resist his disgrace.

Dunnage, baggage, clothes. Also, a sea term for wood or loose faggots laid at the bottom of ships, upon which is placed the cargo.

Dunnyken, originally DANNAKEN, a watercloset.-From DANNA and KEN, which see.

Durrynacking, offering lace or any other article as an introduction to fortune-telling; generally practised by women.

Dust, money; "down with the DUST," put down the money.-Ancient. Dean Swift once took for his text, "He who giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord." His sermon was short. "Now, my brethren,' said he, "if you are satisfied with the security, down with the DUST."

Dust, a disturbance, or noise, "to raise a DUST," to make a row. Dust, to beat; "DUST one's jacket," i.e., give him a beating. Dust-hole, Sidney Sussex College at Cambridge.—Univ. Slang. Dust-hole, the Queen's Theatre, Tottenham Court Road, was so called until comparatively recently, when it was entirely renovated and renamed, and now, as the Prince of Wales's, it is one of the most fortunate and fashionable theatres in London.

Dustoorie, commission, douceur, bribe.—Anglo-Indian.

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Dusty, a phrase used in answering a question where one expects approbation. "What do you think of this?" "Well, it's not so DUSTY," i.e., not so bad; sometimes varied to none so DUSTY.' Dutch, or DOUBLE DUTCH, gibberish, or any foreign tongue. "To talk DOUBLE DUTCH backwards on a Sunday" is a humorous locution for extraordinary linguistic facility.

Dutch auction, a method of selling goods, adopted by "CHEAP JOHNS," to evade the penalties for selling without a licence. The article is offered all round at a high price, which is then dropped until it is taken. DUTCH AUCTIONS need not be illegitimate transactions, and their economy (as likewise that of puffing) will be found minutely explained in Sugden (Lord St. Leonards)"On Vendors and Purchasers. Dutch concert, where each performer plays a different tune. Sometimes called a DUTCH MEDLEY when vocal efforts only are used. Dutch consolation, "thank God it is no worse." "It might have been worse, ," said a man whom the devil was carrying to hell. "How?" asked a neighbour. "Well, he's carrying me-he might have made me carry him."

Dutch courage, false courage, generally excited by drink-potvalour.

Dutch feast, where the host gets drunk before his guest.

Dutch uncle, a personage often introduced in conversation, but exceedingly difficult to describe; "I'll talk to him like a DUTCH UNCLE!" conveys the notion of anything but a desirable relation.

Earl of Cork, the ace of diamonds.—Hibernicism.

"What do you mean by the Earl of Cork?' asked Mr. Squander. "The ace of diamonds, your honour. It's the worst ace, and the poorest card in the pack, and is called the EARL OF CORK, because he's the poorest nobleman in Ireland.'"-Carleton's Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry.

Early, "to get up EARLY," to prepare for a difficult task. "You'll have to get up very EARLY in the morning to beat that." Early rising and ability seem also closely connected by certain modifications of this expression. Possibly the belief is that a man who rises early for early rising's sake deserves to be clever. Perhaps the greatest enjoyment a day labourer-whose work commences at six in the winter mornings, and who may have to rise at half-past four and trudge offcan have, is a quiet snooze "after the usual time of rising. The early rising in "the steel" is the chief terror of that institution in the minds of habitual criminals.

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Earwig, a clergyman, also one who prompts another maliciously and privately.

Earwigging, a private conversation; a rebuke in private; an attempt to defame another unfairly, and without chance of appeal; a WIGGING is more public.

Ease, to rob; "EASING a bloke," robbing a man.

Eat his head off. A horse who is kept idle in the stable is said to EAT HIS HEAD OFF. Of late the phrase has been applied to servants who have little to do but constantly "dip their noses in the manger.' Eavesdropper, a listener. The name is derived from the punishment which, according to Oliver, was directed in the Lectures, at the revival of Masonry in 1717, to be inflicted on a detected Cowan [g. v.], and which was

"To be placed under the eaves of the house in rainy weather, till the water runs in at his shoulders and out at his heels."-Mackey's Lexicon of Freemasonry.

Efter, a thief who frequents theatres.

Egg, or EGG ON, to excite, stimulate, or provoke one person to quarrel with another, &c. From the Anglo-Saxon eggian; or possibly a corruption of EDGE, or EDGE ON, or even from agere, to drive.-Ancient. Egg-flip, or EGG-HOT, a drink made after the manner of purl and bishop, with beer, eggs, and spirits made hot and sweetened.

Elbow, "to shake one's ELBOW," to play with dice; "to crook one's ELBOW," to drink.

Elbow grease, labour, or industry. Anything that is rusty, or in household work dirty or dingy, is said to require ELBOW GREASE. Elegant extracts, a Cambridge University title for those students who having failed only slightly in some one subject, and being "plucked" accordingly, were allowed their degrees. This applied to the "Poll" list, as the "Gulf" did to the "Honours."

Elephant, "to have seen the ELEPHANT," to be "up to the latest move, or "down to the last new trick;" to be knowing, and not green," &c. Possibly a metaphor taken from the travelling menageries, where the ELEPHANT is the finale of the exhibition.-Originally an

Americanism.

Bartlett gives conflicting examples. General now, however. A modification of this is "having seen the king." When a man becomes aware that he has been cheated or imposed on, and does not mean to stand it any longer, he is said to have seen the king, i.e., to have seen his adversary's best card, and to be prepared for it. Elevated, intoxicated. ELEVATION is the name of a drug-mixture much used in the fen-counties for keeping up the spirits and preventing ague. It consists mainly of opium.

Enemy, time, a clock, the ruthless enemy and tell-tale of idleness and of mankind generally; "what says the ENEMY ?" i.e., how goes the time? Essex lion, a calf. A calf is probably the only lively animal to be seen in a journey through Essex.

A jocular allusion to the peculiarities of the

Essex stile, a ditch.
"low county."
Evaporate, to go, or run away.

Everlasting shoes, the feet.

The barefooted children about the Seven Dials, and other low quarters of London, are said to wear EVERLASTING SHOES and stockings. Another expression in connexion with this want is, "the shoes and stockings their mothers gave them." Everlasting staircase, the treadmill. Sometimes, but very rarely now called "Colonel Chesterton's EVERLASTING STAIRCASE," from the gallant inventor or improver. Also known as "the STEPPER." Exasperate, to over-aspirate the letter H, or to aspirate it whenever it commences a word, as is commonly done by under-educated people who wish to show off their breeding. EXASPERATION does not refer to an omission of the aspirate.

Exes, expenses. "Just enough to clear our exes."

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Extensive, frequently applied in a slang sense to a person's appearance or talk; rather EXTENSIVE that !" intimating that the person alluded to is showing off, or "cutting it fat."

Extracted, placed on the list of "ELEGANT EXTRACTS."-Camb. Univ. Eye teeth, supposed evidences of sharpness. A man is said to have, or have not, cut his EYE TEETH, according to possession or want of shrewdness. Eye water, gin. Face, credit at a

BRAZEN-FACE.
able manner.
impudence.

Term principally used by printers.

public-house, impudence, confidence, brass; thus a "To run one's FACE," is to obtain credit in a bounce"He's got some FACE," i.e., he has got lots of

Face entry, the entrée to a theatre. From the FACE being known, as distinguished from free-list entry.

Facer, a blow on the face. In Ireland, a dram.

Facer, a tumbler of whisky-punch. Possibly from the suffusion of blood to the face caused by it.

Fad, a hobby, a favourite pursuit.

Fadge, a farthing.

Fadge, a flat loaf.-North.

Fadge, to suit or fit; "it wont FADGE," it will not do. Used by Shakspeare, but now heard only in the streets.

Fadger, a glazier's frame. Otherwise called a "frail," perhaps in reference to the fragile nature of its contents.

Fag, a schoolboy who performs a servant's offices to a superior schoolmate. From FAG, to become weary or tired out. Low German, FAKK,

wearied.

Fag, to beat.

In

Faggot, a bundle of bits of the "stickings" (hence probably its name) sold for food to the London poor. It is sometimes called a duck. appearance it resembles a Scotch "haggis," without, however, being nearly so good as that fragrant article. Probably the FAG-END of a thing, the inferior or remaining part, the refuse.

Faggot, a term of opprobrium used by low people to children and women; 66 you little FAGGOT, you!" FAGGOT was originally a term of contempt for a dry shrivelled old woman, whose bones were like a bundle of sticks, only fit to burn.-Compare the French expression for a heretic, sentir le fagot.

Faggot briefs, bundles of worthless papers tied up with red tape, carried by unemployed barristers in the back rows of the courts to simulate briefs.

Faggot vote, a phrase which belongs to the slang of politics, and which was applied to a class of votes, by no means extinct even now, though not so common as in the days preceding the first Reform Bill, when constituencies were smaller, and individual votes were consequently more valuable. FAGGOT VOTES were thus created :-A large landowner who was blessed with, say, seven sons and seven brothers, and had also on his estate fourteen labourers' cottages worth about a shilling a week each, would go through the form of sale of one cottage to each son and each brother, it being perfectly understood that the title-deeds would be returned when the occasion for their use was at an end. And thus the squire would command fifteen votes instead of one. In a famous election for the West Riding of Yorkshire during the third decade of the present century, which cost upwards of half a million sterling, and ruined the successful candidate, it was said that six hundred FAGGOT VOTES were created by three noble lords. The origin of the term has been variously explained. One ingenious writer has suggested that as a FAGGOT may be split into a bundle of sticks, so was one estate thus split into a bundle of votes. It is, however, more reasonable to suppose that it was derived from the old word "FAGGOT," which was used to describe a "nominal soldier," one, that is, whose name appeared on the muster-roll, and for whom the colonel drew pay, but who was never to be found in the ranks. The connexion is evident enough.

Fake, in the sporting world, means to hocus or poison. Fake is also a mixture supposed to be used for purposes of "making safe."