A dictionary of slang and colloquial English
This book is a good slang dictionary for English Language and it was published in 1912.
The author says that this book is "abridged from the seven-volume work, entitled: Slang and its analogues" The book contains 533 pages.
Example:
Ambassador. A trick to duck some ignorant fellow or landsman, frequently played on board ship in the warm latitudes. It is thus managed: a large tub is filled with water, and two stools are placed on each side of it. Over the whole is thrown a tarpaulin, or old sail, which is kept tight by two persons seated on the stools, who are to represent the king and queen of a foreign country. The person intended to be ducked plays the ambassador, and after repeating a ridiculous speech dictated to him, is led in great form up to the throne, and seated between the king and queen, who rise suddenly as soon as he is seated.
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Reading in the dictionary
Slang and Colloquial English
A. A per se. The best ; first-class ; Al (q.v.) : see Tip- top. The usage became popular and was extended to other vocables. As subs., a paragon
(1470). Al. (1) Prime; first-class, of the best. The character A denotes
New Ships, of Ships Renewed or Re- stored. The Stores of Vessels are de-
noted by the figures 1 and 2 ; 1 signi- fying that the Vessel is well and suffi-
ciently found (Key, Lloyd's Register). Also First-class, letter A ; Al copper- bottomed ; and Al and no mistake :
Fr. marque cl VA (money coined in Pariswas formerly stamped with an A). Cf. A per se (1369). (2) Sometimes
(erroneously) No. 1. Atitlefor the com- mander of 900 men in the army of the
Irish Republican Brotherhood : obso- lete Fenian. Not knowing great A (ora
B) from a bull's-foot (or a battledore), ignorant, illiterate : see B. What with A, and what with B : see What.
To get one's A (Harrow), to pass a certain standard in the gymnasium: the next step is to the Gymnasium Eight. To get A (Felsted School), to be (practically) free of all restriction as to bounds : nominally the other bounds
were,
B, the ordinary limit, the roads about a mile from the school ;
C,
punishment bounds, confinement to the cricket field and playground ; and D, confinement to the old school-house
playground, one of the commonest forms of punishment till 1876, when
the present school-house was opened : C and D were also known respectively as Mongrel and Quod.
Aaron (1) A cadger (q.v.) ; a
beggar mountain-guide. [Gesenius : prob. Heb. Aaron is a derivative of
Haron, a mountaineer.] (2) The
leader of a gang of thieves ; always
with ' the ' as a prefix. (3) A leader o the church (1607).
A. B. An A [ble]-b[odied] seaman. Abba. A term of contempt : gen- eric. As subs., a non-unionist : as adj., vile, silly.
Aback. To take aback, to surprise, check : suddenly and forcibly. [Orig. nautical : in which sense (0. E. D.) dating from 1754.]
Abacter (or Abactor). Stealera of Cattle or Beasts, by Herds, or great numbers ; and were distinguished from Fures (Blount).
Abaddon. A thief turned informer ;
a snitcher (q.v.). [Obviously a Jew
fence's punning reference to Abaddon, ix. the 11.] angel of the bottomless pit ; Rev.
Abandannad (or Abandannaad). ( 1) A handkerchief (or bandanna) thief.
Hence (2) a petty thief. [Brewer
A contraction (sic) of a bandanna lad.] Abandoned Habit. In pi., spec.
the riding demi-monde in Rotten Row.
Abber (Harrow). (1) An abstract; (2) an absit (q.v.). Abbess (or Lady Abbess). A bawd; a stewardess of the stews (q.v.) : cf. Abbot; Nun; Sacristan; etc. (1770.)
Abbey. To bring an abbey to a grange, to squander : also able to buy an abbey (Say : we speak it of an unthrift). Among kindred expressions are : To bring a noble to ninepence ; to make of a lance a thorn ; to make of apair of breeches a purse ; to thwite a
mill - post to a pudding - prick ; Hia wind-mill is dwindled into a nut-
cracker ; from abbess to lay-sister.