Kidment, humbug, coarse chaff or jocularity. Kidnapper, originally one who stole children. Now applied without reference to the age or sex of those stolen. From "kid," a child, and "nab" (corrupted to "nap"), to steal, or seize. 66 Kidney, "of that KIDNEY," of such a stamp; "strange KIDNEY," odd humour; "two of a KIDNEY," two persons of a sort, or as like as two peas, i.e., resembling each other like two kidneys in a bunch.-Old. 'Attempt to put their hair out of KIDNEY."-Terræ Filius, 1763. Kid-on, to entice or incite a person to the perpetration of an act. Kidsman, one who trains boys to thieve and pick pockets successfully. Kilkenny cat, a popular simile for a voracious or desperate animal or person, from the story of the two cats in that county, who are said to have fought and bitten each other until a small portion of the tail of one of them alone remained. Killing, bewitching, fascinating. "dressing to death." The term is akin to the phrase Kilt, an Irishism for badly beaten, but by no means equivalent with killed. Kimbo, or A-KIMBO, holding the arms in a bent position from the body, and resting the hands upon the hips, in a bullying attitude. Said to be from A SCHIMBO, bandy-legged, crooked, Italian; but more probably from KIMBAW, the old cant for beating or bullying. See Grose. Celtic, CAM, crooked. Kimmer, a gossip, an acquaintance, same as CUMMER.-Scotch. "What's a' the steer, KIMMER?" Kinchin, a child.-Old Cant. From the German diminutive, KINDCHEN, a baby. Kinchin cove, a man who robs children; a little man.-Ancient Cant. Kincob, uniform, fine clothes, richly embroidered dresses. Really, cloth of gold or silver.-Anglo-Indian. Kingsman, a handkerchief with yellow patterns upon a green ground, the favourite coloured neckerchief of the costermongers. The women sometimes wear KINGSMAN kerchiefs thrown over their shoulders. A coster will often imagine his caste, or position, is at stake, if his KINGSMAN is not of the most approved pattern. When he fights, his KINGSMAN is tied around his waist as a belt. This partiality for a peculiar-coloured neckcloth is part of the fondness for gaudy colours which at all times and in all countries has been shown by the uncultivated. A strange similarity of taste for certain colours exists amongst the Hindoos, Gipsies, and London lower classes. Red and yellow (or orange) are the great favourites, and in these hues the Hindoo selects his turban and his robe; the gipsy his breeches, and his wife her shawl or gown; and the costermonger, his plush waistcoat and favourite KINGSMAN. Among either class, when a fight takes place, the greatest regard is paid to the favourite coloured article of dress. The Hindoo lays aside his turban, the gipsy folds up his fancy breeches or coat, whilst the pugilistic costermonger of Covent Garden or Billingsgate removes his favourite neckerchief to a part of his body, by the rules of the "ring," comparatively out of danger. King's pictures (now, of course, QUEEN'S PICTURES), money. Kisky, drunk, fuddled. Kiss-curl, a small curl twisted on the temple. See BOWCATCHER. Kisser, the mouth.-Pugilistic term. Kissing-crust, the soft crust which marks where one loaf has been broken from another. Kiss-me-quick, the name given to the very small bonnets which have of late years become fashionable. Kit, a person's baggage. Also, a collection of anything, "the whole KIT of 'em," the entire lot. Anglo-Saxon, KYTH.-North. Kite, see FLY THE KITE. Kitmegur, an under-butler, a footman.-Anglo-Indian. Knacker, an old horse; a horse-slaughterer. Originally Gloucestershire. but now general. snap. Knap, i.q., NAP, to break.-Old English, but nearly obsolete. See Ps. xlvi. 9 (Prayer-book version), "He breaketh the bow, and KNAPPETH the spear in sunder;" probably sibilated into " Knap, to receive, to take. Generally applied to the receipt of punishments; "oh, my! wont he just KNAP it when he gets home!" Knap, to steal.-Prison Cant. Knapping-jigger, a turnpike gate; "to dub at the KNAPPING-JIGGER," to pay money at the turnpike. Knark, a hard-hearted or savage person. The word is now usually spelt NARK, and is applied to the lowest class of informers. Knife, "to KNIFE a person," to stab; an un-English custom, but a very common expression. Knife-board, the seat running along the roof of an omnibus. "On 'busses' KNIFEBOARDS Stretch'd, The City clerks all tongue-protruded lay." A Summer Idyll, by Arthur Smith. Knife it, "cut it," cease, stop, don't proceed. Knight, a common and ironical prefix to a man's calling-thus, "KNIGHT of the whip," a coachman; "KNIGHT of the thimble," a tailor. Knobstick, a non-society workman. One who takes work under price. Knock about the bub, to hand or pass about the drink. BUB is a very old cant term for drink. Knock-down, or KNOCK-ME-DOWN, strong ale. Knocked-up, tired, jaded, used up, done for. In the United States, amongst females, the phrase is equivalent to being enceinte, so that Englishmen often unconsciously commit themselves when amongst our Yankee cousins. Knock-'em-downs, the game of skittles. Knocker, "up to the KNOCKER,' means finely or showily dressed, in the height of fashion; proficient, equal to the task. Knocker-face, an ugly face, i.e., like an old-fashioned door-knocker. Knock-in, the game of loo. Knocking-in, coming into college after time. A habit of KNOCKING-IN late generally leads to some unpleasantness.-Oxford University. Knocking-out. All visitors, on leaving a college after time, have to state in whose rooms they have been, that his gate-bill may be scored up for them. When a rackety party takes place, the visitors, or college men," are generally supplied with a list of the names of the quietest men in college, so that the whereabouts of the party may not be betrayed. Oxford University. out Knock-it-down, to show, in the "free and easy" style, approval of a song or toast, by hammering with pot or glass on the table. Knock off, to give over, or abandon. A saying used by workmen in reference to dinner or other meal times, for upwards of two centuries. Knock out, in racing parlance, to drive out of the quotations; as a KNOCKED-OUT favourite. Also to make bankrupt; as a KNOCKEDOUT backer or bookmaker. When a man cannot meet his engagements on the turf, he is said to be KNOCKED out. Knock-outs, or KNOCK-INS, disreputable persons who visit auction rooms and unite to purchase the articles at their own prices. One of their number is instructed to buy for the rest, and after a few small bids as blinds to the auctioneer and bystanders, the lot is knocked down to the KNOCK-OUT bidders, at a nominal price-the competition to result from an auction being thus frustrated and set aside. At the conclusion of the sale the goods are paid for, and carried to a neighbouring public-house, where they are re-sold or KNOCKED-OUT among the confederates, and the difference between the first purchase and the second-or tap-room KNOCK-OUT-is divided amongst the gang. As generally happens with ill-gotten gains, the money soon finds its way to the landlord's pocket, and the KNOCK-OUT is rewarded with a red nose and a bloated face. Cunning tradesmen join the KNOCK-OUTS when an opportunity for money-making presents itself. The lowest description of KNOCK-OUTS, fellows with more tongue than capital, are termed BABES. Within the past few years a few respectable auctioneers, assisted much by one or two just and admirable magisterial decisions, have succeeded in considerably limiting the efforts of the KNOCK-OUT fraternity. Knock-under, to submit. Knowing, sharp, shrewd, artful; "a KNOWING codger," or "a KNOW. ING blade," one who can take you in, or cheat you, in any transaction you may have with him. It implies also deep cunning and foresight, and generally signifies dishonesty. "Who, on a spree with biack-eyed Sal, his blowen, So swell, so prime, so nutty, and so KNOWING?"-Don Juan. 211 KNOW, in this sense, enters into several slang phrases. "I KNOW something," expresses that I am not to be taken in by any shallow device. "He KNOWS a thing or two," i.e., he is a cunning fellow. Knowledge-box, the head.-Pugilistic. Knuckle, to fight with fists, to pommel. Knuckle-duster, a large, heavy, or over-gaudy ring; a ring which attracts attention from its size, Knuckle-duster, an iron or brass instrument which knuckles so as to protect them from injury when striking a blow, addcovers the ing force to it at the same time. Sometimes a KNUCKLE-DUSTER has knobs or points projecting, so as to mutilate and disfigure the person struck. This brutal invention is American, but has been made familiar here. Knuckle to, or KNUCKLE UNDER, to yield or submit. Knuller, old term for a chimney-sweep, who solicited jobs by ringing a bell. From the Saxon, CNYLLAN, to knell, or sound a bell. See QUERIER. Kootee, a house.-Anglo-Indian. Kotoo, to bow down before, to cringe, to flatter. From a Chinese ceremony. Kubber, news.—Anglo-Indian. Kudos, praise; KUDIZED, praised. Greek, kúdog.-University. Kye, eighteenpence. Kypsey, a basket. A term generally used by gipsies. La! a euphuistic rendering of LORD! common amongst females and very precise persons; imagined by many to be a corruption of LOOK! but this is a mistake. Sometimes pronounced LAW, or LAWKS. Lac, one hundred thousand.—Anglo-Indian. Laced, strengthened with ardent spirits. Tea or coffee in which brandy is poured is said to be LACED. Lacing, a beating. From the phrase, "I'll LACE your jacket."L'Estrange. Perhaps to give a beating with a lace or lash. Perhaps, also, a figurative phrase for ornamenting the article in question with stripes. Ladder, "can't see a hole in a LADDER," said of any one who is intoxicated. It was once said that a man was never properly drunk until he could not lie down without holding, could not see a hole through a LADDER, or went to the pump to light his pipe. Ladies' mile, that part of Hyde Park where the feminine beauty, rank, and fashion most do congregate during the airing hours of the London season. Lag, a returned transport, or ticket-of-leave convict. Lag, to void urine.-Ancient Cant. In modern slang to transport, as regards bearing witness, and not in reference to the action of judge or jury. Lagged, imprisoned, apprehended, or transported for a crime. From the Old Norse, LAGDA, laid,"-laid by the leg. Lagger, a sailor. Also, one who gives evidence; an informer. Lagging gage, a chamber-pot.—Ancient Cant. Lambasting, a beating. Perhaps LUMB-BASTING, from the lumbarregions. Lamb's wool, spiced ale, of which the butler at Brasenose every Shrove Tuesday supplies as much as is required at Hall, with a copy of verses on the subject, generally written by a Brasenose man. poems began : Antiquum et vetus est {Ale n Nas} dicere laudes. alienas One of these Oxford University. LAMB'S WOOL is also a hot drink, well known to the community for centuries. Supposed by some to be derived from Lammas, at which time it was drunk, and by others to be derived from the similarity between the foam of the drink and the white wool obtained from lambs. Lame duck, a stockjobber who speculates beyond his capital, and cannot pay his losses. Upon retiring from the Exchange he is said to "waddle out of the Alley.' Lamming, a beating.-Old English, LAM; used by Beaumont and Fletcher. Not as Sir Walter Scott supposed, from one Dr. Lamb, but from the Old Norse, LAM, the hand; also, Gaelic. Lammy, a blanket. Land-lubber, sea term for "a landsman." See LOAFER. Land-shark, a sailor's definition of a lawyer. Lane, a familiar term for Drury Lane Theatre, just as Covent Garden Theatre is constantly spoken of as "the Garden." Lap, liquor, drink. LAP is the term invariably used in the ballet girls' dressing-room for gin. Lap, one circuit of a pedestrian enclosure. In running a race of any distance one man is said to LAP another when he is one entire circuit in front. 66 Lap. LAP THE GUTTER, to get beastly and helplessly drunk. LAP means to drink. LAP THE GATTER, to drink up the beer; a rare LAPPER," a hard drinker. Lark, a frolic, a joke; "let's have a jolly good LARK," let us have a piece of fun.-Anglo-Saxon, LAC, sport; but more probably from the nautical term SKYLARKING, i.e., mounting to the highest yards and sliding down the ropes for amusement, which is allowed on certain occasions. Lark, to sport boisterously, to show a disposition for "going on the spree." Larrence, an imaginary being, supposed by the Scottish peasantry to have power over indolent persons. Hence laziness is often called |