Nock. The breech; from nock, a notch. NOCKY BOY. A dull simple fellow. NOD. He is gone to the land of Nod; he is asleep. NODDY. A simpleton or fool: also, a kind of low cart, with NOLL. Old Noll; Oliver Cromwell. NON-CON. A non-conformist, presbyterian, or any other dissenter. NONE-SUCH. ironically. NONPAREIL CLUB. This club was established at the house of John Randall, the celebrated pugilist, at the Hole-in-theWall, Chancery-lane, in 1819: and named after him, from his being termed the NONPAREIL of the boxers. It is held every Monday evening during the season; and it is free and easy. One that is unequalled: frequently applied NONSENSE. Melting butter in a wig. NOOZED. Married, hanged. NORFOLK CAPON. A red herring. NORFOLK DUMPLING. A nick-name, or term of jocular reproach to a Norfolk man; dumplings being a favourite food in that county. NORTH ALLERTONS. Spurs; that place, like Rippon, being famous for making them. NORTHUMBERLAND. Lord Northumberland's arms; a black eye: so called in the last century. Obsolete. NORWAY NECKLOTH. The pillory, usually made of Norway fir. NOSE. As plain as the nose on your face; evidently to be seen. He is led by the nose; he is governed. To follow one's nose; to go straight forward. To put one's nose out of joint; to rival one in the favour of any person. To make a bridge of any one's nose; to pass by him in drinking. To nose a stink; to smell it. He cut off his nose to be revenged of his face; said of one who, to be revenged on his neighbour, has materially injured himself. NOSE. A thief who becomes an evidence against his accom plices: also, a person who, seeing one or more suspicious characters in the streets, makes a point of watching them, in order to frustrate any attempt they may make, or cause their apprehension: also, a spy or informer of any description. NOSE. To give evidence. To inform. His pall nosed and he was twisted for a crack; his confederate turned king's evidence, and he was hanged for burglary. NOSE. To nose, is to pry into any person's proceedings in an impertinent manner, To nose upon any one, is to tell of any thing he has said or done with a view to injure him, or to benefit yourself. NOSE-BAG. A bag fastened to the horse's head, in which the soldiers of the cavalry put the oats given to their horses: whence the saying, I see the nose bag in his face; i. e. he has been a private man, or rode private. NOSEGAY. A blow on the nose. Pugilistic cant. NOSE-GENT. A nun. NOT A FEATHER TO FLY WITH. NOTCH. The monosyllable. NOTE. He changed his note; he told another sort of a story. NOTICE TO QUIT. A cant phrase. When a person is in danger of dying from bad health, it is said, he has received "a notice to quit." Nous-Box. The head. Ruined, &c. Cant. NOZZLE. The nose of a man or woman. NUB. The neck: also, coition. NUBBING. Hanging. Nubbing cheat; the gallows. Nubbing cove; the hangman. Nubbing ken; the sessions house. NUG. An endearing word: as, My dear nug; my dear love. NUGGING-DRESS. An out-of-the-way old-fashioned dress, or rather a loose kind of dress, denoting a courtezan. NUGGING-HOUSE. A brothel. NULL. To beat: as, He nulled him heartily. NULL-GROPERS. Persons who sweep the streets, in search of old iron, nails, &c. Cant. NULLING COVE. A fighting man. NUMBERS. To consult the book of numbers: a term used in the House of Commons, when, instead of answering or confuting a pressing argument, the minister calls for a division, i. e. puts the matter to the vote. NUMBSCULL. A stupid fellow. NUMMS. A sham collar, to be worn over a dirty shirt. NURSE. To cheat: as, they nursed him out of it. An estate in the hands of trustees, for the payment of debts, is said to be at nurse. NUT. To please a person by any little act of assiduity, by a present, or by flattering words, is called nutting him; as the present, &c. by which you have gratified them, is termed a nut. NUTCRACKERS. The pillory: as, The cull peeped through the nutcrackers. NUTMEGS. Testicles. NUTS. It was nuts for them; i. e. it was very agreeable to them. NUTS. Fond, pleased. She's nuts upon her cull; she's pleased with her cully. The cove's nutting the blowen; the man is trying to please the girl. NUTS UPON IT. To be very much pleased or gratified with any object, adventure, or overture; so a person who conceives a strong inclination for another of the opposite sex, is said to be quite nutty, or nuts upon him or her. NUTS UPON YOURSELF. A man who is much gratified with any bargain he has made, narrow escape he has had, or other event in which he is interested, will express his self-satisfaction or gladness by declaring that he is, or was, quite nuts upon himself. NYP, or NIP. A half pint, a nip of ale: whence the nipperkin, a small vessel. NYPPER. A cut-purse: so called by one Wotton, who, in the year 1585, kept an academy for the education and perfection of pickpockets and cut-purses: his school was near Billingsgate, London. As in the dress of ancient times many people wore their purses at their girdles, cutting them was a branch of the light-fingered art, which is now lost, though the name remains. Maitlaud, from Stow, gives the following account of this Wotton: This man was a gentleman born, and some time a merchant of good credit, but fallen by time into decay: he kept an ale-house, near Smart's Key, near Billinsgate, afterwards, for some misdemeanour, put down. He reared up a new trade of life, and in the same house he procured all the cut-purses about the city to repair to it; there was a school-house set up to teach boys to cut purses: two devices were hung up; one was a pocket, and another was a purse; the pocket had in it certain counters, and was hung about with hawks bells, and over the top did hang a little sacring bell. The purse had silver in it; and he that could take out a counter, without noise of any of the bells, was adjudged a judicial nypper: according to their terms of art, a foyster was a pick-pocket; a nypper was a pick-purse, or cut-purse. NYP-SHOP. The Peacock, in Gray's-Inn-lane, where Burton ale is sold in nyps. OAF. A silly fellow. OAK. A rich man, a man of good substance and credit. To sport oak; to shut the outward door of a student's room, at college. An oaken towel; an oaken cudgel. To rub a man down with an oaken towel; to beat him. OAR. To put in one's oar; to intermeddle, or give an opinion unasked; as, To be sure, you must put in your oar! OATHS. The favourite oaths of the thieves of the present day are, "God strike me blind!" "I wish my by eyes may drop out if it is not true!" So help me G-d!" "B- -y end to me!" OATS. He has sowed his wild oats; he is staid, or sober, having left off his wild tricks. O BE JOYFUL. I'll make you sing O be joyful, on the other side of your mouth; a threat, implying the party threatened will be made to cry. To sing O be easy; to appear contented when one has cause to complain, and dare not. O BE JOYFUL. Good liquor; brandy. Sea term. OBSTROPULOUS. Vulgar misnomer of obstreperous: as, I was going my rounds, and found this here gemman very obstropulous, whereof I comprehended him as an auspicious parson. OCCUPY. To occupy a woman; to have carnal knowledge of her. ODD-COME-SHORTLY'S. I'll do it one of these odd-come shortly's; I will do it some time or another. ODD FELLOWS. A society of that name, that make use of signs and pass words, to recognize any one of their order. There are numerous lodges of Odd Fellows in all parts of the kingdom. ODDS PLUT AND HER NAILS. A Welsh oath, frequently mentioned in a jocular manner by persons, it is hoped, ignorant of it's meaning; which is, By God's blood, and the nails with which he was nailed to the cross. OFFICE. To give the office; to give information, or make signs to the officers to take a thief. OGLES. Eyes. Rum ogles; fine eyes. OIL OF BARLEY, or BARLEY BROTH. Strong beer. OIL OF GLADNESS. I will anoint you with the oil of gladness; ironically spoken for, I will beat you. OIL OF PALMS. Money. Cant. OIL OF STIRRUP. A dose the cobbler gives his wife whenever she is obstreperous. ΟΙ ΠΟΛΛΟΙ. (Cambridge.) The many; the multitude; OLD DOG AT IT. Expert, accustomed. OLD DOSS. OLD HAND. Knowing or expert in any business, OLD HARRY. A composition used by vintners to adulterate their wines: also, the nick-name for the Devil. OLD LAG. A man or woman who has been transported, iş so called on returning home, by those who are acquainted with the secret. See LAG. OLD MR. GORY. A piece of gold. OLD NICK. The Devil: from Neken, the evil spirit of the north. OLD ONE. The Devil. Likewise, an expression of quizzical familiarity, as, "how d'ye do, OLD ONE?" OLD PEGG. Poor Yorkshire cheese, made of skimmed milk. OLD POGER. The Devil. OLD STAGER. One accustomed to business, one who knows mankind. OLD TOAST. A brisk old fellow. Cant. OLIVER. The moon. OLIVER IS IN TOWN. A phrase signifying that the nights are moonlight, and, consequently, unfavourable to depredation. OLIVER'S SCULL. A chamber pot. OLIVER'S UP. The moon has risen. OLIVER WHIDDLES. The moon shines. OLLI COMPOLLI. The name of one of the principal rogues of the canting crew. Cant. OMNIUM GATHERUM. The whole together: jocular imitation of law Latin. ONE IN TEN. A parson: an allusion to his tithes. ONE OF US, or ONE OF MY COUSINS. A woman of the town, a harlot. ONE TWO. In boxing, two blows rapidly put in after each other. Jem Belcher was distinguished for his one two. Vide note to Randall's Diary, page 70. ONE UPON YOUR TAW. A person who takes offence at the conduct of another, or conceives himself injured by the latter, will say, never mind, I'll be one upon your taw; or, I'll be a marble on your taw; meaning, I'll be even with you some time. |