HabillÉ de soie, m. (popular), an elegant term for a pig, “sow’s baby,” or, in the words of Irish peasants, “the gintleman that pays the rint.”

Habiller (popular), quelqu’un de taffetas, to say ill-natured things of one, to “backbite” him, to reprimand, to slander, to scold, or “bully-rag.”

C’est moi qui vous l’a habillÉ de taffetas noir.—A. DalÈs, La MÈre l’Anecdote, Chansonnette.

S’—— de sapin, to die. See Pipe. S’—— en sauvage, to strip oneself naked, to strip to the “buff,” so as to be “in one’s birthday suit.”

Habin, happin, hubin, m. (old cant), dog, or “tyke;” —— ergamÉ, or engamÉ, rabid dog.

Ils trollent cette graisse dans leur gueulard, en une corne, et quand les hubins la sentent, ils ne leur disent rien, au contraire, ils font fÊte À ceux qui la trollent.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.

A dog is now called by thieves “tambour, alarmiste.”

Habiner (thieves’), to bite.

Habit, m. (popular), noir, gentleman, or “swell;” —— rouge, an Englishman.

Etre —— noir, to be simple-minded, easily duped, to be a “flat.” (Thieves’) Un —— vert, an official of the “octroi,” or office at the gates of a town for the levying of dues on goods which are brought in from the outside.

C’Était de l’un de ces fossÉs,... que les contrebandiers, au nez et À la barbe des habits verts, faisaient descendre la nuit, dans les souterrains, leurs marchandises pour les porter en ville et les affranchir de l’octroi.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Habitants, m. pl. (popular), lice, “grey-backed un’s.”

Habitongue, f. (thieves’), for habitude, habit.

Hacher de la paille (popular), to murder the French language. The English have the corresponding expression, “to murder the Queen’s English.” Also to talk in German.

Haleine, f. (familiar), À la Domitien, cruelle, or homicide, offensive breath. According to the Dict. Comique it used to be said of a man troubled with that incommodity: Il serait bon trompette, parcequ’il a l’haleine forte. (Popular) Respirer l’—— de quelqu’un, to get at one’s secrets, “to pump” one.

HalÈnes, or alÈnes, f. pl. (thieves’), thieves’ implements, or “jilts.” AlÈne signifies properly shoe-maker’s awl.

Haler sur sa poche (sailors’), to pay, “to shell out.” Haler, properly to haul, to tow.

Halle, f. (popular), aux croÛtes, stomach, or “bread-basket.” Also baker’s shop. La —— aux draps, the bed, “doss, or bug-walk,” and formerly “cloth-market,” an expression used by Swift in his Polite Conversation:—

Miss, your slave; I hope your early rising will do you no harm; I find you are but just out of the cloth-market.

(Journalists’) La —— au son, the Paris Conservatoire de Musique, or national music and dramatic academy. (Bullies’) Un barbise de la —— aux copeaux, a bully whose paramour brings him in but scanty profits, whose “business” is slack.

Hallebarde, f. (popular), tall, badly dressed woman, a “gawky guy.”

Halot, m. (popular), box on the ear, “smack on the chops.”

Haloter quelqu’un (thieves’), to box one’s ears, “to smack one’s chops;” to ply the bellows.

Haloteur, m. (thieves’), one who uses bellows; one who blows.

Halotin, m. (thieves’), bellows. From haleter, to pant.

Hancher (popular), se ——, to put on a jaunty look; to take up an arrogant position, to be “on the high jinks,” or to “look big.”

Hane, f. (thieves’), purse, “skin,” or “poge.” Termed also “henne, bouchon, morlingue, mornif.”

Casser la —— À quelqu’un, to steal someone’s purse, “to buz a skin.”

Hanneton, m. (familiar), monomania. Avoir un —— dans le plafond, to be cracked, or “to have a bee in one’s bonnet.” See Avoir. Saoul comme un ——, completely drunk, “as drunk as Davy’s sow.”

“Davy’s sow.” The origin of this expression, according to Davies’ Supplementary English Glossary, is the following:—“David Lloyd, a Welshman, had a sow with six legs; on one occasion he brought some friends and asked them whether they had ever seen a sow like that, not knowing that in his absence his drunken wife had turned out the animal, and gone to lie down in the sty. One of the party observed that it was the drunkest sow he had ever beheld.” Other synonymous expressions are, “drunk as a drum, to be a wheelbarrow, sow-drunk, drunk as a fish, as a lord, as a piper, as a fiddler, as a rat.”

Hannetonner (familiar), to have a hobby verging on monomania.

Happer le taillis (thieves’), to flee, “to guy.” See Patatrot. Compare with the expression, now obsolete, gagner le taillis, which has the same signification.

Happons le taillis, on crie au vinaigre sur nouzailles.—Le Jargon de l’Argot. (They are “whiddling beef,” and we must “guy.”)

Happin. See Habin.

Happiner. See Habiner.

Harauder (popular), quelqu’un (obsolete), to cry out after one; to pursue one with insults.

Hardi, adj. (popular), À la soupe is said of one who is more ready to eat than to fight. Hardi! courage! with a will! go it!

Hareng, m. (thieves’), faire des yeux de —— À quelqu’un, to put out one’s eyes. (Printers’) Harengs, name given by printers to fellow-workers who do but little work.

Hareng-Saur, m. (popular), gendarme; a member of the SociÉtÉ de Saint-Vincent de Paul, a religious association. (Roughs’) Piquer son pas de ——, to dance.

Hariadan Barberousse (thieves’), Jesus Christ.

Il rigolait malgrÉ le sanglier qui voulait lui faire becqueter Hariadan Barberousse.—Vidocq.

Haricander (popular), to find fault with one about trifles.

Haricot, m. (popular), body. Cavaler, or courir sur le ——, to annoy, to bore one, “to spur” one. (Thieves’) Un —— vert, a clumsy thief, or one “not up to slum.” Se laver les haricots, to be transported, or “lagged.” (Familiar) HÔtel des haricots, formerly the prison for undisciplined national guards, the staple food for prisoners there being haricot beans.

Haricoteur, m. (thieves’), executioner. Termed “Rouart” in the sixteenth century, that is, one who breaks criminals on the wheel.

HarmonarÈs, m. (thieves’), noise, or “row.” Si le gonsalÈs fait de l’harmonarÈs il faut le balancarguer dans la vassarÈs, if the fellow makes any noise we’ll pitch him into the water.

Harmonie, f. (popular), faire de l’——, to make a noise, “to kick up a row.”

Harnais, m. (thieves’), cards that have been tampered with, or “stocked broads;” clothes, or “clobber;” —— de grive, military uniform. Laver les ——, to sell stolen clothes, “to do clobber at a fence’s.”

Harpe, f. (general), jouer de la ——, to slily take liberties with a woman by stroking her dress, as Tartuffe did when pretending to ascertain the softness of Elmire’s dress. The expression is old; it is to be met with in the Dict. Comique.

Jouer de la harpe signifie jouer des mains auprÈs d’une femme, la patiner, lui toucher la nature, la farfouiller, la clitoriser, la chatouiller avec les doigts.—J. Le Roux, Dictionnaire Comique.

(Thieves’) Harpe, prison-grated window. Jouer de la ——, to be in prison, or “in quod.” Pincer de la ——, to put oneself at a window.

Harper (popular), to catch, “to nab;” to seize, “to grab.”

Harpions, m. pl. (popular and thieves’), feet, or “dew-beaters;” hands, or “dukes.” From the old word harpier, concerning which the Dictionnaire Comique says:—

Harpier. Pour voler ou friponner impunÉment, prendre ou enlever par force, comme les harpies.

Harponner (popular), to seize, “to grab;” —— tocquardement, to lay rough hands on; to give one a shaking.

Hasard! or h! (printers’), ironical exclamation meaning that happens by chance, of course!

HaÜs, or aÜs, m. (shopmens’), appellation applied by shopmen to a person who, after much bargaining, leaves without purchasing anything.

Hausse-col, m. (military), cartridge-box. The expression has become obsolete.

Haussier, m. (familiar), a “bull,” that is, one who agrees to purchase stock at a future day, at a stated price, but who simply speculates for a rise in public securities to render the transaction a profitable one. Should stocks fall, the “bull” is then called upon to pay the difference. The “bear” is the opposite of the “bull,” the former selling, the latter purchasing—the one operating for a fall, the other for a rise. They are respectively called “liebhaler” in Berlin, and “contremine” in Vienna.

Haussmannisation, f. See below.

Haussmanniser (familiar), to pull down houses wholesale, after the fashion of M. Haussmann, a Prefect of the Seine under the Third Empire, who laid low many of the old houses of Paris, and opened some broad passages in the city. Corresponds in some degree to “boycott.”

Haut-de-tire, m. (thieves’), breeches, “hams, kicks, sit-upons.”

Haute, f. and adj. (general), for haute sociÉtÉ, the higher class of any social stratum, “pink.”

Il y a lorette et lorette. Mademoiselle de Saint-Pharamond Était de la haute.—P. FÉval.

La —— bicherie, higher class of cocottes, the world of “demi-reps.” Un escarpe de la ——, a swindler moving in good society. La —— pÈgre, swell mob, and, used ironically, good society. Un restaurant de la ——, a fashionable restaurant, a “swell” restaurant.

Si nous ne soupons pas dans la haute, je ne sais guÈre oÙ nous irons À cette heure-ci.—G. de Nerval.

Hautocher (thieves’), to ascend; to rise.

Haut-temps, m. (thieves’), for autan, loft.

Havre, or grand havre, m. (thieves’), God. Literally the harbour, great harbour. Le —— garde mÉziÈre, God protect me.

Heol ar blei (Breton cant), the moon.

Herbe, f. (popular), À grimper, fine bosoms or shoulders. This phrase is obsolete; —— À la vache, clubs of cards.

Quinte mangeuse portant son point dans l’herbe À la vache.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

Herbe sainte, absinthe. To all appearance this is a corruption of absinthe.

Herplis, m. (thieves’), farthing. Sans un herplis dans ma fouillouse, without a farthing in my pocket.

Herr, m. (general), a man of importance, one of position or talent, a “swell.”

Herse, f. (theatrical), lighting apparatus on the sides of the stage which illuminates those parts which receive no light from the chandelier.

Herz, or hers, m. (thieves’), master, or “boss;” gentleman, or “nib-cove.” From the German herr.

High-bichery, f. (familiar), the world of fashionable cocottes.

Quelque superbe crÉature de la high-bichery qui traÎne son domino À queue avec les airs souverains d’une marquise d’autrefois.—P. Mahalin.

Hirondeau, m. (tailors’), journeyman tailor who shifts from one employer to another. An allusion to the swallow, a migratory bird.

Hirondelle, f. (familiar), penny boat plying on the Seine; (popular) commercial traveller; journeyman tailor from the country temporarily established in Paris; hackney coachman; —— d’hiver, retailer of roasted chestnuts; —— de pont, vagrant who seeks a shelter at night under the arches of bridges; —— du bÂtiment, mason from the country who comes yearly to work in Paris. (Thieves’) Une ——, variety of vagabond.

Les Hirondelles, les Romanichels hantaient, comme les taupes, l’intÉrieur de leurs souterrains insondables. Romanichels et Hirondelles venaient y dormir, souper et mÉditer leurs crimes.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Une —— de potence, a gendarme (obsolete).

Hisser (popular), to give a whistle call; —— un gandin. See Gandin.

Histoires, f. pl. (general), menses. Termed also “affaires, cardinales, anglais.”

Homard, m. (popular), doorkeeper, or servant in red livery. (Military) spahis. The spahis, called also cavaliers rouges, are a crack corps of Arab cavalry commanded by French officers. There are now four regiments of spahis doing duty in Algeria or in Tonkin.

Homicide, m. See Haleine.

Homme, m. (familiar), au sac, rich man, one who is “well ballasted.” Un —— affiche, a “sandwich” man, that is, a man bearing a back-and-front advertising board. Avoir son jeune ——, to be drunk, or “tight.” See Pompette. (Thieves’) Un —— de lettres, forger: —— de peine, old offender, “jail-bird.” (Printers’) Homme de bois, workman who repairs wooden fixtures of formes in a printing shop.

Homme de lettres, or singe, m. (printers’), compositor.

Le compositeur est un bipÈde auquel on donne la dÉnomination de “singe.”... Pour vous Éblouir il triture une “matiÈre pleine” de mots Équivoques: “commandite, bordereau, banque, impositions” et cela avec la gravitÉ d’une “Minerve.” Fier du rang qu’il occupe dans l’imprimerie, ce chevalier du “composteur” s’intitule “homme de lettres,” mais c’est un “faux titre” qu’il a pris dans sa “galÉe,” car de tous les ouvrages auxquels il a mis des “signatures” et qu’il prÉtend avoir “composÉs,” il lui serait difficile de “justifier” une ligne, &c. &c.—DÉclaration d’amour d’un imprimeur typographe À une jeune brocheuse, 1886.

Hommelette, m. (popular), man devoid of energy, “sappy.”

HonnÊte, m. (thieves’), the spring.

Honteuse, f., Être en ——. See Lesbien.

HÔpital, m. (thieves’), prison, or “stir.” See Motte. A thief in prison is said to be “malade,” and when liberated he is, of course, “guÉri.” (Popular) Goujon d’——, leech.

Horizontale, f. (familiar), prostitute, or “mot;” —— de grande marque, fashionable cocotte, or “pretty horse-breaker.” For list of over one hundred and thirty synonyms, see Gadoue.

Horloger, m. (popular), avoir sa montre chez l’——, to have one’s watch at the pawnbroker’s, “in lug,” or “up the spout.”

Horreurs, f. pl. (popular), broad talk, or “blue talk.” Dire des ——, to talk “smut.” Faire des ——, to take liberties with women, “to fiddle,” or “to slewther,” as the Irish have it.

Hosto, or austo (soldiers’ and thieves’), prison, or “stir,” see Motte; (popular) house, or “crib.”

HÔtel, m. (popular), de la modestie, poor lodgings; —— des haricots, prison, or “jug.” See Motte. Coucher À l’—— de la belle Étoile, to sleep in the open air, on mother Earth, or “to skipper it.”

Hotteriau, hotteriot, m. (popular), rag-picker, or “tot-picker.” From hotte, wicker basket.

Houblon, m. (popular), tea.

Houpe dentelÉe, f. (freemasons’), ties of brotherhood.

Housette, f. (thieves’), boot, or “daisy root.” TraÎne-cul-les housettes, a tatterdemalion.

Houssine, f. (thieves’), Jean de l’——, stick; bludgeon.

Houste À la paille! (thieves’), out with him!

Hubin, m. (thieves’), dog, or “tyke.”

AprÈs, ils leur enseignent À aquiger certaines graisses pour empÊcher que les hubins les grondent.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.

Hubins, m. pl. (old cant), tramps who pretend to have been bitten by rabid dogs or wolves.

Les hubins triment ordinairement avec une luque comme ils bient À Saint-Hubert.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.

Saint Hubert was credited with the power of miraculously curing hydrophobia. There is still a church in Belgium, not far from Arlon, consecrated to Saint Hubert, to whose shrine rabid people (in more than one sense) repair to be cured.

HugolÂtre, m. (familiar), fanatical admirer of the works of V. Hugo.

Hugrement (thieves’), much, or “neddy” (Irish).

Huile, f. (general), wine; suspicion; —— blonde, beer; —— de bras, de poignet, physical strength; work, or “elbow grease;” —— de cotret, blows administered with a stick; might be rendered by “stirrup-oil.” The Dict. Comique has: “Huile de cotret, pour coups de bÂton, bastonnade.”

Qu’ils vinssent vous frotter les Épaules de l’huile de cotret.—Don Quichotte.

Huile de mains, money, or “oil of palm.” For synonyms see Quibus. Pomper les huiles, to drink wine to excess, or “to swill.”

Huit (theatrical), battre un ——, to cut a caper. (Familiar) Un —— ressorts, a handsome, well-appointed two-horse carriage. (Military) Flanquer —— et sept, to give a man a fortnight’s arrest.

Y m’a flanquÉ huit-et-sept À cause que j’avais ÉgarÉ le bouchon de mon mousqueton.—G. Courteline.

HuÎtres, f. pl. (popular), de gueux, snails; (thieves’) —— de Varennes, beans.

HuÎtrifier (familiar), s’——, to become commonplace and dull of intellect. From huÎtre, figuratively a fool.

Humecter (popular), s’—— les amygdales, la dalle du cou, or le pavillon, to drink, “to wet one’s whistle.” For synonyms see Rincer.

HuppÉ, adj. (popular), daim ——, rich person, one who is “well ballasted.”

Hure, f. (popular), head, or “tibby.” Properly wild boar’s head. See Tronche.

HurÉ, adj. (thieves’), rich, or “rag splawger.”

Hurf, urf, adj. (general), c’est ——, that’s excellent, “tip-top, cheery, slap-up, first-chop, lummy, nap, jam, true marmalade, tsing-tsing.” Le monde ——, world of fashion.

Hurlubier, m. (thieves’), idiot, or “go along;” madman, or “balmy cove;” tramp, or “pikey.”

Hussard, m. (popular), À quatre roues, soldier of the train or army service corps. Elixir de ——, brandy. (Popular and thieves’) Hussard de la guillotine, gendarme on duty at executions.

Il est venu pour sauver Madeleine ... mais comment?... les hussards de la guillotine sont lÀ.—Balzac.

Hussard de la veuve, gendarme on duty at executions.

Oui, c’est pour aujourd’hui, les hussards de la veuve (autre nom, nom terrible de la mÉcanique) sont commandÉs—Balzac.

Hust-must (thieves’), thank you very much.