La, m. (familiar), donner le ——, to give the tone.

Labadens (theatrical), old school-fellow.

Depuis le vaudeville amusant de Labiche (l’affaire de la Rue de Lourcine) qui a mis ce terme À la mode, il a pris, avec le procÈs Bazaine, une valeur historique. Quand RÉgnier voulut en effet Être mis en la prÉsence du marÉchal, il se fit annoncer ainsi: “Dites que c’est un vieux Labadens.”—LorÉdan Larchey.

Labago (thieves’), is equivalent to lÀ-bas, yonder. Gaffine ——, la riflette t’exhibe, look yonder, the spy has his eye on you.

LÀ-bas (prostitutes’), the Saint-Lazare prison, a place of confinement for prostitutes who offend against the law, or are detected plying their trade without due authorization of the police; (thieves’) the convict settlement in New Caledonia or at Cayenne.

Laboratoire, m. (eating-house keepers’), the kitchen, a place where food is often prepared by truly chemical processes; hence the appellation.

L’absinthe ne vaut rien aprÈs dÎner (printers’), words used ruefully by a typo to express his bitter disappointment at finding, on returning from dinner, that he has corrections of his own to attend to.

Dans cette locution, on joue sur “l’absinthe,” considÉrÉe comme breuvage et comme plante. La plante possÈde une saveur “amÈre.” Avec quelle “amertume” le compagnon restaurÉ, bien dispos, se voit obligÉ de se “coller” sur le marbre pour faire un travail non payÉ, au moment oÙ il se proposait de pomper avec acharnement. DÉjÀ, comme Perrette, il avait escomptÉ cet aprÈs-dÎner productif.—Boutmy.

Lac, m. (thieves’), Être dans le ——, to be very “hard up;” to be in a fix or in trouble, in a “hole.” Mettre dans le ——, to deceive, to make one fall into a trap. (Gamesters’) Mettre dans le ——, to lose all one’s money, to have “blewed” it.

Au cercle, oÙ la conversation vient de rouler sur la mort tragique du roi de BaviÈre, un ponte perd un louis au baccarat, en tirant À cinq:—allons, dit-il d’un air rÉsignÉ, encore un louis dans le lac!—Le Voltaire, Juin, 1886.

In the above quotation an allusion is made to Louis, King of Bavaria, who committed suicide.

Lacets, m. pl. (thieves’), handcuffs, or “bracelets.” Marchand or solliceur de ——, gendarme.

LÂchage, m. (popular), the act of forsaking one.

LÂche, m. (popular), Saint ——, lazy workman; one who likes to lounge about, who is “Mondayish.” RÉciter la priÈre de Saint ——, to sleep, or “to doss.”

LÂcher (popular), les Écluses, son Écureuil, or une naÏade, to void urine, or “to pump ship.” Termed also “changer ses olives d’eau, lascailler, Écluser, faire le petit, changer son poisson d’eau, faire pleurer son aveugle, lancer, quimper la lance, gÂter de l’eau, arroser les pissenlits;” —— une pastille, to break wind; (familiar and popular) —— d’un cran, to leave one; to rid him of one’s presence; —— la perche, to die; —— les Écluses, to weep, to blubber, “to nap a bib;” —— le coude, to leave one alone.

LÂchez-nous donc le coude avec votre politique! cria le zingueur. Lisez les assassinats, c’est plus rigolo.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

LÂcher le paquet, to disclose.

Et Madame Lerat, effrayÉe, rÉpÉtant qu’elle n’Était mÊme plus tranquille pour elle, lÂcha tout le paquet À son frÈre.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

LÂcher la mousseline, to snow.

Le ciel restait d’une vilaine couleur de plomb, et la neige, amassÉe lÀ-haut, coiffait le quartier d’une calotte de glace.... Gervaise levait le nez en priant le bon Dieu de ne pas lÂcher sa mousseline tout de suite.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

LÂcher une femme, to break off one’s connection with a mistress, “to bury a moll;” —— un cran, to undo a button or two after dinner. Se —— d’une somme, to spend reluctantly a sum of money. (Theatrical) LÂcher la rampe, to die, see Pipe; (thieves’) —— un pain, to give a blow, or “wipe.” (General) Se ——, Rigaud says: “Produire en sociÉtÉ un bruit trop personnel.”

Lacromuche, m. (popular), women’s bully, or “Sunday man.” For synonymous expressions see Poisson.

Lafarger (popular), to poison. An allusion to the celebrated Lafarge poisoning case.

Laffe, f. (thieves’), soup.

Lagad-ijen (Breton cant), five-franc piece.

Lago (thieves’), there. Gaffine —— le pante se fait la dÉbinette, look there, the “cove” is running away.

Lagout, m. (thieves’), water (“agout” with the article).

Laigre, f. (thieves’), fair; market. Michel says this word is no other than the adjective “alaigre,” of which the initial letter has disappeared.

Laine, f. (tailors’), work, “graft.” Avoir de la ——, to have some work to do. (Thieves’) Tirer la ——, was formerly the term for stealing cloaks from the person; hence the old expression tire-laine, thief who stole cloaks.

LainÉ, m. (thieves’), sheep, or “wool-bird.”

LaisÉe, f. (thieves’ and roughs’), prostitute, or “bunter.” See Gadoue.

Laisser (familiar and popular), aller le chat au fromage (obsolete), is said of a girl who allows herself to be seduced, who loses her rose; —— tomber son pain dans la sauce (obsolete), to manage matters so as to get profit out of some transaction; —— ses bottes quelque part, to die. The expression is found in Le Roux’s Dict. Comique. Laisser fuir son tonneau, to die, “to kick the bucket.” See Pipe. Laisser pisser le mÉrinos, to wait for one’s opportunity. Synonymous of Laisser pisser le mouton, a proverbial saying.

Lait, m. (thieves’), À broder, ink. (Theatrical) Boire du ——, to be applauded.

A peine le couplet est-il chantÉ, au milieu des applaudissements payÉs, que BiÉtry ... salue ... tous les applaudisseurs ... il n’est pas le seul, ce soir-lÀ, À boire du lait, comme on dit en style de thÉÂtre.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

LaÏus (familiar), speech, or discourse. Piquer un ——, to make a speech.

Lambiasse, f. (popular), rags.

Lame, f. (military), vieille ——! old chum!

Lamine (thieves’), Le Mans, a town.

Lampagne du cam, f. (thieves’), country, or “drum.” It is the word “campagne” itself disguised in the following way. The first consonant is replaced by the letter l, and the word is followed by its first syllable preceded by “du” (Richepin). English thieves and gypsies have a similar mode of distorting words, termed gibberish; called also pedlar’s French, St. Giles’s Greek, and the Flash tongue. Gibberish means a kind of disguised language formed by inserting any consonant between each syllable of an English word, in which case it is called the gibberish of the letter inserted; if F, it is the F gibberish; if G, the G gibberish; as in the sentence, How do you do? Howg dog youg dog?

Lampas, m. (common), throat, or “red lane.”

Pour l’histoire de s’assurer de la qualitÉ du liquide et s’arroser le lampas.—Ladimir.

Lampe, f. (freemasons’), drinking-glass.

Lampie, f. (thieves’), meal. From lamper, to gulp down.

Lampion, m. (thieves’), hat; bottle; —— rouge, police officer, “copper, or reeler.” For synonymous expressions see Pot-À-tabac.

Lampions, m. pl. (thieves’), eyes, or “glaziers,” see Mirettes; —— fumeux, inflamed eyes. Des ——! Des ——! a call expressive of the impatience of a crowd, or rough elements of an audience, and made more forcible by stamping of feet.

Lance, f. (popular and thieves’), water, or “Adam’s ale;” rain, or “parney.”

C’est gagnÉ! faites servir! six litres de vin! six litres sans lance!—CatÉchisme Poissard.

This word is “ance” with the article. Michel says, “ance vient du terme de la vieille germania espagnole (Spanish cant) ansia, qui lui-mÊme est une apocope d’angustia; en effet l’eau Était un instrument de torture fort employÉ autrefois.” Il tombe de la ——, it rains. Lance, broom; shoemaker’s awl. Chevalier de la courte ——, or de Saint-CrÉpin, shoemaker, or “snob.” Du chenu pivois sans ——, good wine without water. Lance had formerly the same signification as Flageolet, which see.

LancÉ, m. and adj. (popular), agile play of dancers’ legs at dancing halls.

Paul a un coup de pied si vainqueur et Rigolette un si voluptueux saut de carpe! Les spectateurs s’intÉressaient À cet assaut de lancÉ vigoureux.—Vitu.

(Familiar) LancÉ, slightly intoxicated, or “elevated.” See Pompette.

Lancequiner (popular), to rain; to weep; to void urine.

Lancer (thieves’), to void urine. See LÂcher. (Popular) Lancer son prospectus, to ogle.

Lanceur, m. (familiar), bon ——, bookseller who is clever at making known to the public a new publication, “un Étouffeur” being the reverse. (Police) Lanceur allumeur, a politician, generally a journalist, in the employ of the police of the Third Empire. His functions consisted in exciting people to rebellion either by inflammatory speeches at public meetings or by violent articles.

On appelle allumeurs, en termes de police, les agents provocateurs chargÉs de se mÊler aux sociÉtÉs secrÈtes, aux manifestations populaires.... Les allumeurs furent crÉÉs sous l’empire; ils devinrent, sous la direction de M. Lagrange, la fleur du panier de la prÉfecture. Ce fonctionnaire fut lui-mÊme ... avec un nommÉ P. le metteur en oeuvre du complot de l’OpÉra-Comique ... qui aboutit À cinquante-sept arrestations ... et finit par mettre sur la dÉfensive tous les rÉpublicains.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Lanceuse, f. (familiar), superannuated cocotte who acts as the chaperone of a younger one.

Lancier, m. (thieves’ and cads’), individual, or “cove.”

Lancier du prÉfet, street-sweeper in the employ of the municipal authorities.

Lanciers, m. pl. (popular), oui, les ——! nonsense! “tell that to the marines!” “how’s your brother Job?” or “do you see any green in my eye?”

Landau À baleines, m. (popular), umbrella, “mush, or rain-napper.”

Landernau, m. (familiar), name of a small town in Brittany. Il y aura du bruit dans ——, is said of an insignificant event which will set going the tongues of people who have nothing else to do. The expression has passed into the language.

Landier, m. and adj. (thieves’), official of the octroi. The “octroi” is the office established at the gates of a town for the collection of a tax due for the introduction of certain articles of food or drink. (Thieves’) Landier, white.

LandiÈre, f. (old cant), stall at a fair.

On sait que le Landit Était une foire cÉlÈbre qui se tenait À Saint-Denis.—Michel.

Landreux, adj. (popular), invalid.

Langouste, f. (popular), simpleton, greenhorn, “flat.”

Langue, f. (familiar), verte, slang of gamesters. Also slang. The expression is Delvau’s. (Popular) Avaler sa ——, to die, “to kick the bucket.” See Pipe. Prendre sa —— des dimanches, to use choice language. (Familiar and popular) Une —— fourrÉe, lingua duplex, id est quum basiis lingua linguÆ promiscetur (Rigaud).

Languineur, m. (popular), man whose functions are to examine the tongues of pigs at the slaughter-house to ascertain that they are not diseased.

Lansquailler (thieves’). See Lascailler.

Lansque (popular), abbreviation of lansquenet.

Lansquinage, m. (thieves’), weeping.

Lansquine, f. (thieves’), rain, or “parny.”

Lansquiner (thieves’ and cads’), to rain; —— des chasses, to weep, “to nap a bib.”

Lanteoz (Breton cant), butter.

Lanterne, f. (popular), window, “jump.” Radouber la ——, to talk, to tattle. The expression is old. Avoir la ——, or se taper sur la ——, to be hungry, “to be bandied, or to cry cupboard.” Vieille ——, old prostitute. See Gadoue. (Popular) Lanternes de cabriolet, large goggle eyes.

Oh! c’est vrai! t’as les yeux comme les lanternes de ton cabriolet.—Gavarni.

LantimÈche, m. (popular), lamp-lighter; also a word equivalent to “thingumbob.” Il a filÉ avec —— pour mener les poules pisser, a derisive reply to one inquiring about the whereabouts of a person.

Lanturlu, m. (popular), madcap.

Laou Pharaou (Breton cant), body lice.

Lapin, m. (popular), apprentice. Des lapins, shoes, or “trotter-cases.” (Familiar and popular) Lapin, a clever or sturdy fellow.

Ah! tu es un lapin! ... lui disaient tous ceux qu’il abordait, il paraÎt que tu viens de faire une fameuse dÉcouverte! on parle de toi pour la croix!—E. Gaboriau, M. Lecoq.

Etre en ——, to ride by the side of the coachman. Un —— de gouttiÈre, cat, or “long-tailed beggar.” Coller or poser un ——, to deceive, to take in, “to bilk.” It is said the expression draws its origin from the practice of certain sportsmen who used to invite themselves to dinner at some friend’s house in the country, and repaid their host by leaving a rabbit as a compensation. The Slang Dictionary says that when a person gets the worst of a bargain he is said “to have bought the rabbit,” from an old story about a man selling a cat to a foreigner for a rabbit. With reference to deceiving prostitutes the act is described in the English slang as “doing a bilk.”

Je vous demande pardon, mais le vocable est consacrÉ. “Poser un lapin” fut longtemps une dÉfinition malsÉante, bannie des salons oÙ l’on cause. Maintenant, elle est admise entre gens de bonne compagnie, et le lapin cesse, dans les mots, de braver l’honnÊtetÉ.—Maxime Boucheron.

Un fameux, or rude ——, a strong fearless man, one who is “spry.”

L’homme qui me rendra rÊveuse pourra se vanter d’Être un rude lapin.—Gavarni.

Also a man who begets many children. Voler au ——, or Étouffer un ——, is said of a bus conductor who swindles his employers by pocketing part of the fares. Mon vieux ——! old fellow! “old cock!” (Thieves’) Lapin ferrÉ, mounted gendarme. (Printers’) Manger un ——, to attend a comrade’s funeral.

Cette locution vient sans doute de ce que, À l’issue de la cÉrÉmonie funÈbre, les assistants se rÉunissaient autrefois dans quelque restaurant avoisinant le cimetiÈre et, en guise de repas de funÉrailles, mangeaient un lapin plus ou moins authentique.—Boutmy.

Concerning this expression, there is an anecdote of a typo who was lying in hospital at the point of death, and who informed his sorrowing friends that he would try and wait till the Friday morning, so that they might have all the Saturday and Sunday for the funeral feast.

Je tÂcherai d’aller jusqu’À demain soir ... parceque les amis auraient ainsi samedi et dimanche pour boulotter mon “lapin.” Cela ne vaut-il pas le “plaudite!” de l’empereur Auguste, ou le “Baissez le rideau, la farce est jouÉe!” de notre vieux Rabelais?—Boutmy.

(Familiar and popular) C’est le —— qui a commencÉ is said ironically in allusion to a difference or fight between a strong man and a weak one, when the latter is worsted and blamed into the bargain. A cartoon of the late artist Gill, on the occasion of the assassination of Victor Noir by Pierre Bonaparte in the last days of the Third Empire, depicted the two principal actors in that mysterious affair under the features of a fierce bull-dog and a rabbit, with the saying, “C’est le lapin qui a commencÉ,” for a text line.

Lapiner (general), to cheat a prostitute by not paying her her dues.

Laqueuse, f. (familiar and popular), cocotte who walks in the vicinity of the lake at the Bois de Boulogne. See Gadoue.

LarantquÉ, m. (popular and thieves’), two-franc coin.

Larbin, m. (general), man-servant, footman, “flunkey,” or “bone-picker.”

Le savoureux Lebeau ... ancien valet de pied aux Tuileries, laissait voir le hideux larbin qu’il Était, Âpre au gain et À la curÉe.—A. Daudet, Les Rois en Exil.

(Popular) Larbin savonnÉ, knave of cards.

Larbine, f. (popular), maid-servant, “slavey.”

Larbinerie, f. (familiar), set of servants, “flunkeydom, or flunkeyism.”

Larcottier, m. (old cant), one who yields too often to the promptings of a well-developed bump of amativeness, a “beard-splitter.”

Lard, m. (popular), disreputable woman; mistress; skin, or body. Sauver son ——, to save one’s “bacon.” Perdre son ——, to become thin. Faire son ——, to put on a conceited look. (General) Faire du ——, to lie in bed of a morning. (Thieves’) Manger du ——, to inform against, “to turn snitch.”

Larda (Breton cant), to beat.

LardÉ, m. (popular), un —— aux pommes, mess of potatoes and bacon.

Au prix oÙ sont les lardÉs aux pommes aux trente-neuf marmites.—Tam-Tam du 6 Juin, 1880.

LardÉe, f. (printers’), composition full of italics and roman.

Larder (obsolete), explained by quotation:—

Terme libre, qui signifie, faire le dÉduit, se divertir avec une femme.—Le Roux, Dict. Comique.

(Popular and military) to pierce with a sword or knife. Se faire ——, to be stabbed or to receive a sword-thrust.

Lardives, f. pl. (prostitutes’), female companions of prostitutes.

AprÈs tout, mes lardives ne valent pas mieux que moi et leurs megs valent le pante que j’ai lÂchÉ parcequ’il m’embÊtait.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Lardoire, f. (popular), sword, or “toasting fork.”

Large, adj. and m. (popular), il est ——, mais c’est des Épaules is said ironically of a close-fisted man. N’en pas mener ——, to be ill at ease; crest-fallen. Envoyer quelqu’un au ——, to send one to the deuce.

Largonji, m. (thieves’), cant, slang. Properly the word jargon disguised by a process described under the heading Lampagne (which see).

Largue, f. (popular and thieves’), woman, “hay-bag, cooler, shakester, or laced mutton.” Concerning the word Michel says: “Je crains bien qu’une pensÉe obscÈne n’ait prÉsidÉ À la crÉation de ce mot: ce qui me le fait soupÇonner, c’est que je lis, p. 298 du livre d’Antoine Oudin, ‘Loger au large, d’une femme qui a grand ... or, large se prononÇait largue À l’italienne et À l’espagnole dÈs le xiv? siÈcle.’”

Deux mots avaient suffi. Ces deux mots Étaient: vos largues et votre aubert, vos femmes et votre argent, le rÉsumÉ de toutes les affections vraies de l’homme.—Balzac.

Largue, mistress, or “poll;” —— d’altÈque, handsome woman, or “dimbermort;” —— en panne, forsaken woman, or a “moll that has been buried;” —— en vidange, female in childbed, or “in the straw.” Balancer une ——, to forsake a mistress, “to bury a moll.” (Sailors’) Grand’ ——, excellent, “out and out.” C’est grand’ —— et vrai marin, it is “out and out,” and quite sailor-like.

LarguepÉ, f. (thieves’), prostitute, or thief’s wife, “mollisher.” See Gadoue. According to Michel this word is formed of largue, woman, and putain, whore.

Larme du compositeur, f. (printers’), comma.

Larnac, arnac, or arnache, m. (thieves’), police officer, “copper,” or “reeler.” Rousse À l’——, detective. For synonymous expressions see Vache.

Larque, f. (roughs’), woman, or “cooler;” registered prostitute. A corruption of largue. See Gadoue.

Larrons, m. pl. (printers’), odd pieces of paper which adhere to sheets in the press, producing “moines” or blanks.

Lartif, lartie, larton, m. (thieves’), bread, “pannum.” Termed also “briffe, broute, pierre dure, artie, arton, brignolet, bringue, boule de son, bricheton.”

Lartille À plafond, f. (thieves’), pastry.

Lartin, m. (old cant), beggar, “maunderer.”

Larton, m. (thieves’), bread, “pannum;” —— brutal, black bread; —— savonnÉ, white bread.

Lartonnier, m. (thieves’), baker. From larton, bread. In the English popular lingo a “dough-puncher.”

Lascailler (thieves’), to void urine, “to pump ship.” For synonyms see LÂcher.

Lascar, m. (military), bold, devil-may-care fellow. Allons, mes lascars! now, boys!

Alors il se frottait les mains, faisait des blagues, ricanait: Eh! eh! mes lascars, il y a du bon pour le “chose,” ce soir!—G. Courteline.

The term is also used disparagingly with the signification of bad soldiers.

LÀ-dessus, en arriÈre, À droite, et À gauche ... marche! A vos Écuries, tas de lascars.—G. Courteline.

(Thieves’) Lascar, fellow.

Tous les lascars À l’atelier pouvaient turbiner À leur grÉ. Moi, je n’avais pas plus tÔt le dos tournÉ À mon ouvrage pour grignoter mon lartif (pain) ou pour chiquer mon Saint-pÈre (tabac), que le louchon Était sur mon dos pour m’Écoper.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Las de chier, m. (popular), grand ——, big skulking fellow without any energy.

Laten (Breton slang), tongue.

Latenni (Breton slang), to chatter.

Latif, m. (thieves’), white linen, “lully,” or “snowy.”

Latin, m. (thieves’), lingo, cant, “flash, thieves’ Latin.” The word meant formerly language.

Latine, f. (students’), student’s mistress. From “Quartier Latin,” a part of Paris where students mostly dwell.

Latte, f. (military), cavalry sword. Se ficher un coup de ——, to fight a duel.

Laumir (old cant), to lose, “to blew.”

Laune, m. (thieves’), police officer, or “copper.” For synonymous expressions see Pot-À-tabac.

Laure, f. (thieves’), brothel, “nanny-shop, or academy.” Concerning the inmates of a clandestine establishment of that description in London, Mr. James Greenwood says:—

They belong utterly and entirely to the devil in human shape who owns the den that the wretched harlot learns to call her “home.” You would never dream of the deplorable depth of her destitution if you met her in her gay attire ... she is absolutely poorer than the meanest beggar that ever whined for a crust. These women are known as “dress lodgers.”—The Seven Curses of London.

Lavabe, m. (popular), note of hand; theatre ticket at reduced price given to people who in return agree to applaud at a given signal.

Lavage, m., or lessive, f. (general), sale of one’s property; also sale of property at considerable loss.

Barbet n’avait pas prÉvu ce lavage; il croyait au talent de Lucien.—Balzac.

LavarÈs (thieves’), for laver, to sell stolen property. Nous irons À lavarÈs la camelote chez le fourgueur, we will go and sell the property at the receiver’s.

Lavasse, f. (popular), soup; —— sÉnatoriale, rich soup; —— prÉsidentielle, very rich soup.

Lavement, m. (popular), au verre pilÉ, glass of rank brandy; (familiar and popular), troublesome man or bore; (military) adjutant.

Laver (general), to spend; to sell.

Vous avez pour quarante francs de loges et de billets À vendre, et pour soixante francs de livres À laver au journal.—Balzac.

(Thieves’) Laver la camelote, or les fourgueroles, to sell stolen property, “to do the swag;” —— son linge, to give oneself up after sentence has been passed in contumaciam; —— le linge dans la saignante, to kill.

Voici le pante que j’ai allumÉ devant le ferlampier (bandit) mis au poteau,—il faut laver son linge dans la saignante. Vite; À vos surins, les autres! Une fuis qu’il sera refroidi, qu’on le porte À la cave.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Se —— les pieds, se —— les pieds au dur, or au grand prÉ, to be transported, “to be lagged,” or “to light the lumper.” (Popular) Se —— les yeux, to drink a glass of white wine in the morning. Se —— le tuyau, to drink, “to wet one’s whistle.” Va te ——! go to the deuce, go to “pot!” Mon linge est lavÉ! I am beaten, I own I have the worst of it. (General) Laver, to sell.

Lavette, f. (popular), tongue, or “red rag.”

Lavoir, m. (cads’), confessional. A place where one’s conscience is made snow-white. (Familiar) Lavoir public, newspaper.

L’avoir encore (popular). Elle l’a encore, she has yet her maidenhead, her rose has not yet been plucked.

Lazagne, or lazagen, f. (thieves’), letter, “screeve, or stiff.”

On appelle lasagna, en Italien, une espÈce de mets de pÂte, et l’on dit proverbialement “come le lasagne,” comme les lasagnes, ni endroit ni envers, pour dire, on ne sait ce que c’est. On comprend que, ignorants comme ils le sont pour la plupart, les gueux aient appliquÉ cette expression aux lettres, qui, d’ailleurs, sont loin d’Être toujours lisibles. Il y a aussi des livres appelÉs “di lasagne.”—Michel.

Balancer une ——, to write a letter.

Lazaro, m. (military), prison, “shop.”

Il lui avait ouvert la porte du cachot ... au fond il se moquait pas mal d’Être flanquÉ au lazaro.—G. Courteline.

Lazo-ligot, m. (police), strap with a noose.

Et Col-de-zinc, À l’aspect si raide, avait l’agilitÉ du Mexicain pour jeter le lazo-ligot, pour entourer d’un seul coup le corps et le poignet de son sujet de faÇon À ce que la main restÂt attachÉe À sa hanche.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Lazzi-lof, m. (thieves’), venereal malady. Termed “French gout,” or “ladies’ fever,” in the English slang.

LÈche-curÉ, m. (popular), bigot, “prayer-monger.”

LÉchÉe, f. (artists’), picture minutely painted.

LÉgitime, m. and f. (familiar), husband, or “oboleklo;” wife, or “tart.” Manger sa ——, to squander one’s fortune.

LÉgume, m. (military), gros ——, field officer, or “bloke.” An allusion to his epaulets, termed “graine d’Épinards.”

LÉgumiste, m. (familiar), vegetarian.

Lem, parler en ——, mode of disguising words by prefixing the letter “l,” and adding the syllabic “em” preceded by the first letter of the word; thus “boucher” becomes “loucherbem.” This mode was first used by butchers, and is now obsolete. See Lampagne.

LenquetrÉ, m. (thieves’), thirty sous. The word “trente” disguised.

Lentille, f. (thieves’), grosse ——, moon, “parish lantern.”

LÉon, m. (thieves’), the president of the assize court.

Lermon, m. (thieves’), tin.

Lermonner (thieves’), to tin.

Lesbien, m. (literary), formerly termed lesbin, explained by quotation:—

Lesbin, pour dire un jeune homme ou garÇon qui sert de sucube À un autre et qui souffre qu’on commette la sodomie sur lui.—Le Roux, Dict. Comique.

Lesbienne, f. (common). Rigaud says: “Femme qui suit les errements de Sapho; celle qui cultive le genre de dÉpravation attribuÉ À Sapho la Lesbienne.”

Lescailler. See Lascailler.

LÉsÉbombe, or lÉsÉe, f. (popular), prostitute, or “mot.” For synonymous expressions see Gadoue.

Lessivage, m. (popular), selling of property; (thieves’) pleading.

Lessivant, m. (thieves’), counsel, or “mouthpiece.”

Lessive, f. (popular), de gascon, doubtful cleanliness. Faire la ——, to turn one’s dirty shirt-collar or cuffs on the clean side. (Literary) Faire sa ——, to sell books sent to one by authors. (Thieves’) Lessive, speech for the defence. The prisoner compares himself to dirty linen, to be washed snow-white by the counsel.

Lessiver (thieves’), is said of a barrister who pleads in behalf of a prisoner. Se faire ——, to be cleaned out at some game, “to have blewed one’s tin,” or “to be a muck-snipe,” or in sporting slang a “muggins.”

Lessiveur, m. (thieves’), counsel, or “mouthpiece.” Literally one who washes.

Letern (Breton cant), eye.

Letez (Breton cant), countryman.

Letezen (Breton cant), pancake.

Lettre, f. (thieves’), de JÉrusalem, letter written by a prisoner to someone outside the prison, to request that some money may be sent him; —— de couronne (obsolete), cup.

Levage, m. (popular), swindle; successful gallantry.

LevÉ, adj. (general), had formerly the signification of to be tracked by a bailiff who has found one’s whereabouts.

LevÉe, f. (popular), wholesale arrest of prostitutes.

LÈve-pieds, m. (thieves’), ladder; steps, or “dancers.” Embarder sur le ——, to go down the steps, “to lop down the dancers.”

Lever (printers’), la lettre, or les petits clous, to compose; (popular) —— boutique, to set up as a tradesman.

Un Toulousain ... jeune perruquier dÉvorÉ d’ambition, vint À Paris, et y leva boutique (je me sers de votre argot).—Balzac.

Lever des chopins, to find some profitable stroke of business; —— la jambe, to dance the cancan; —— le bras, to be dissatisfied; —— le pied, to abscond; (familiar and popular) —— une femme, to find a woman willing to accord her favours; —— quelquechose, to steal something, “to wolf;” (military) —— les baluchons, to go away; (prostitutes’) —— un michÉ, to find a client, “to pick up a flat.”

Leveur, m. (popular), pickpocket, “buzcove.” See Grinche. Leveur de femmes, a Don Giovanni in a small way, or a “molrower.” (Printers’) Bon ——, skilled typographer.

Un bon leveur est un ouvrier qui compose bien et vite.—Boutmy.

Leveuse, f. (familiar and popular), a flash girl.

Levure, f. (popular), flight. Faire la ——, to run away; “to skedaddle,” “to mizzle.”

LÉzard, m. (popular), an untrustworthy friend; dog stealer.

Le lÉzard vole des chiens courants, des Épagneuls et surtout des levrettes. Il ne livre jamais sa proie sans recevoir la somme dÉclarÉe.—Almanach du DÉbiteur.

Faire son ——, to doze in the daytime like a lizard basking in the sun. (Thieves’) Faire le ——, to take to flight, “to make beef.” See Patatrot. Un ——, a traitor, a “snitcher.”

LÉzardes, f. pl. (printers’), white spaces.

Raies blanches produites dans la composition par la rencontre fortuite d’espaces placÉes les unes au-dessous des autres.—Boutmy.

LÉzine, f. (thieves’), cheating at a game.

LÉziner (thieves’), to cheat, “to bite;” to hesitate, “to funk.”

Libretailleur, m. (familiar), a libretto writer of poor ability.

Lice, f. (popular), lecherous girl. Literally bitch.

Lichade, f. (popular), embrace.

Lichance, f. (popular), hearty meal, “tightener.” From licher, equivalent to lÉcher, to lick.

Liche, f. (popular), excessive eating or drinking. Etre en ——, to be “on the booze.”

Licher (familiar and popular), to drink, “to lush.” See Rincer.

Licheur, m. (familiar and popular), gormandizer. The term is very old.

Lichoter un rigolboche (popular), to make a hearty meal, or “tightener.”

Lie de froment, f. (popular), excrement, or “quaker.”

LiÈge, m. (thieves’), gendarme.

Lierchem (cads’), to ease oneself. An obscene word disguised. See Lem.

Lignante, f. (thieves’), life.

Ce mot ... vient de la ligne, dite de vie, que les bohÉmiens consultaient sur la main de ceux auxquels ils disaient la bonne aventure.—Michel.

Lignard, m. (familiar and popular), foot-soldier of the line; journalist; (printers’) compositor who has to deal only with the body part of a composition; (artists’) artist who devotes his attention more to the perfection of the outline than to that of colour; (popular) rodfisher.

Ligne, f. (artists’), avoir la ——, to have a fine profile. (Literary) PÊcher À la ——, or tirer À la ——, is said of a journalist who seeks to make an article as lengthy as possible. (Popular) PÊcher À la —— d’argent is said of an angler who catches fish by means of a money bait, at the fishmonger’s. (Printers’) Ligne À voleur, line containing only a syllable, or a very short word, which might have been composed into the preceding line.

Les lignes À voleur sont faciles À reconnaÎtre, et elles n’Échappent guÈre À l’oeil d’un correcteur exercÉ, qui les casse d’ordinaire impitoyablement.—Boutmy.

Ligore, f. (thieves’), assize court.

Ligorniau, m. (popular), hodman.

Ligot. See Ligotante.

Ligotage, m. (police), binding a prisoner’s hands by means of a rope or strap.

Ligotante, or ligotte, f. (thieves’), rope, or strap; bonds; —— de rifle, or riflarde, strait waistcoat.

Ligoter (police and thieves’), to bind a prisoner’s hands by means of ropes or straps.

Nul mieux que lui ne savait prendre un malfaiteur sans l’abÎmer, ni lui mettre les poucettes sans douleur ou le ligoter sans effort.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Ligotte, f. (thieves’), rope; string; strap.

Lillange (thieves’), town of Lille.

Lillois, m. (thieves’), thread.

Limace, f. (popular), low prostitute, or “draggle-tail;” soldier’s wench, or “barrack-hack,” see Gadoue; (thieves’) shirt, “flesh-bag, or commission.” From the Romany “lima,” according to Michel.

Limacier, m., limaciÈre, f., (thieves’), shirt-maker. From limace, a shirt.

Limande, f. (popular), man made of poor stuff; one who fawns. From limande, a kind of sole (fish).

Lime, f. (thieves’), for limace, shirt, or “commission” in old English cant; —— sourde, sly, underhand man. The expression is old, and is used by Rabelais:—

Mais, qui pis est, les oultragearent grandement, les appellants trop-diteux, breschedents, plaidants rousseaulx, galliers, chie-en-licts, averlans, limes sourdes.—Gargantua.

Limer (familiar and popular), to talk with difficulty; to do a thing slowly. Literally to file.

LimogÈre, f. (thieves’), chambermaid.

Limonade, f. (popular), water, or “Adam’s ale;” the trade of a “limonadier,” or proprietor of a small cafÉ. Tomber, or se plaquer dans la ——, to fall into the water; to be ruined, or “gone a mucker.” (Thieves’) Limonade, flannel vest; —— de linsprÉ, champagne. “LinsprÉ” is the word “prince” disguised.

Limonadier de postÉrieurs, m. (popular), apothecary. Formerly apothecaries performed the “clysterium donare” of MoliÈre’s Malade Imaginaire.

Limousin, or limousinant, m. (popular), mason. It must be mentioned that most of the Paris masons hail from Limousin.

Limousine, f. (thieves’), sheet lead on roofs, or “flap.” Termed also “saucisson, gras-double.”

Limousineur, m. (thieves’), thief who steals sheet-lead roofing. Called also “voleur au gras-double,” a “bluey faker,” or one who “flies the blue pigeon.” See Grinche.

Linge, m. (familiar and popular), faire des effets de ——, to display one’s body linen with affectation. Un bock sans ——, or sans faux-col, a glass of beer without any head. A request for such a thing is often made in the Paris cafÉs, where the microscopic “bocks” or “choppes” are topped by gigantic heads. Se payer un —— convenable, to have a stylish mistress, an “out-and-out tart.” (Popular) Un —— À rÈgles, a dirty, slatternly woman. Resserrer son ——, to die. (Thieves’) Avoir son —— lavÉ, to be caught, apprehended, or “smugged.”

LingÉ, adj. (popular), Être ——, to have plenty of fine linen.

Lingre, or lingue, m. (thieves’), knife, or “chive.” From Langres, a manufacturing town. The synonyms are “linve, trente-deux, vingt-deux, chourin or surin, scion, coupe-sifflet, pliant.” Jouer du ——, to stab, “to stick, or to chive.”

Lingrer, or linguer (thieves’), to stab, “to stick, or to chive.”

Lingriot, m. (thieves’), penknife.

Linguarde, f. (popular), woman with a soft tongue.

Lingue, m. (thieves’), knife, or “chive.”

LinsprÉ, m. (thieves’), prince. See Limonade.

LinvÉ, m. (popular), loussem, twenty sous. The words “vingt sous” distorted. Un ——, a franc: “un lenquetrÉ” being one franc and fifty centimes, or thirty sous, and “un larantquÉ,” two francs, or forty sous. These expressions are respectively the words un, trente, quarante, disguised.

Lion, m. (familiar), dandy of 1840. Fosse aux lions, box at the opera occupied by men of fashion. For synonymous terms see Gommeux.

Lionnerie, f. (familiar), fashionable world.

LipÈte, f. (popular), prostitute, “mot,” or “common Jack.” See Gadoue.

Lipette, f. (popular), mason. Termed also ligorgniot.

Lipper (popular), to visit several wine-shops in succession.

Liquette, or limace, f. (thieves’), shirt, in old English cant “commission.” DÉcarrer le centre d’une ——, to obliterate the marking of a shirt.

Liqueur, f. (popular), cache-bonbon À ——, dandy’s stick-up collar. A malevolent allusion to scrofula abcesses on the neck.

Lire (familiar), aux astres, to muse, “to go wool-gathering;” (familiar and popular) —— le journal, to go without a dinner; —— le Moniteur, to wait patiently. (Printers’) Lire, to note proposed alterations in a proof; —— en premiÈre, to correct the first proof; —— en seconde, or en bon, to correct a second proof on which the author has written “for press.” (Thieves’) Savoir ——, to have one’s wits about one, “to know what’s o’clock.”

Lisette, f. (thieves’), long waistcoat; sword, or “poker.”

Lisserpem (roughs’), to void urine. The word “pisser” disguised by prefixing the letter “l,” and adding the syllable “em” preceded by the first letter of the word.

Listard, m. (journalists’), one in favour of “scrutin de liste,” or mode of voting for the election wholesale of all the representatives in parliament of a “dÉpartement.” For instance, the Paris electors have to vote for a list of over thirty members.

Lit, m. (popular), Être sous le ——, to be mistaken.

Lithographier (popular), se ——, to fall, “to come a cropper.”

Litrer, or itrer (thieves’), to have.

Litronner (popular), to drink wine. From litron, a wine measure.

Litronneur, m. (popular), one who is too fond of the bottle.

LittÉrature jaune (familiar), the so-called Naturalist literature.

LittÉraturier, m. (familiar), a literary man after a fashion.

Livraison, f. (popular), avoir une —— de bois devant sa porte, to have well-developed breasts, to be possessed of fine “Charlies.”

Livre, m. (popular), des quatre rois, pack of cards, “book of briefs,” or “Devil’s books;” —— rouge, police registration book in which the names of authorized prostitutes are inscribed. Etre inscrite dans le —— rouge, to be a registered prostitute. (Freemasons’) Livre d’architecture, ledger of a lodge. (Sharpers’) Livre, one hundred francs.

Loa vihan (Breton cant), coffee.

Locandier, m. (thieves’). Called also “voleur au bonjour,” thief who visits apartments in the morning, and who when caught pretends to have entered the wrong rooms by mistake. See Grinche.

Loche, f. (popular), mou comme une ——, slow, phlegmatic, “lazybones.” (Thieves’) Loche, ear, or “wattle.” Properly loach or groundling.

Locher (thieves’), to listen; (popular) to totter, “to be groggy.”

Locomotive, f. (popular), great smoker.

Lof, loff, loffard, loffe, m. (popular), fool, or “bounder.” “Lof” is the anagram of “fol.”

A lui le coq,... pour inventer des emblÈmes ... quand j’y pense, fallait-il que je fusse loff pour donner dans un godan pareil!—MÉmoires de Vidocq.

Loffat, m. (popular), apprentice.

Loffiat, m. (popular), blockhead, or “cabbage-head.”

Loffitude, f. (thieves’), stupidity; nonsense. Bonisseur de loffitudes, nonsense-monger. Solliceur de loffitudes, journalist.

Loge infernale, f. (theatrical), box occupied by young men of fashion.

Loger rue du Croissant (familiar and popular), is said of an injured husband, or “buckface.” An allusion to the horns of the moon.

Logis du moutrot, m. (thieves’), police court.

Loir, m. (thieves’), prison, “stir, or Bastile.” See Motte.

Lokard (Breton cant), peasant.

Loko (Breton cant), brandy.

Lolo, m. (thieves’), chief, or “dimber damber;” (popular) cocotte, or “mot.” See Gadoue. Fifi ——, large iron cylinder in which the contents of cesspools are carried away by the scavengers. (Military) Gros lolos, cuirassiers.

Lombard, m. (popular), commissionnaire of the “Mont de PiÉtÉ,” or government pawning establishment.

LonceguÉ, m. (thieves’ and cads’), man, “cove;” master of a house, “boss.” The word gonce disguised.

Lonceguem, f. (thieves’ and cads’), woman, or “hay-bag;” mistress of a house.

Long, m. and adj. (popular), simpleton, greenhorn. Etes-vous logÉ et nourri? Oui, le —— du mur. Do you get board and lodging? Yes, at my own expense. (Thieves’) Long, stupid; blockhead, or “go along.” Abbreviation of long À comprendre.

Longchamps, m., a long corridor of w.c.’s at the Ecole Polytechnique; (popular) a procession.

Longe, f. (thieves’), year, or “stretch.” Tirer une ——, to do one “stretch” in prison.

LongÉ, adj. (popular), old.

Longin, or Saint-Longin, m. (popular), sluggard.

Longine, or Sainte-Longine, f. (popular), sluggish woman.

Longuette de trÈfle, f. (thieves’), roll of tobacco, or “twist of fogus.”

Lophe, adj. (thieves’), false; counterfeit, “flash.” Un fafiot ——, a forged bank-note, or “queer screen.”

Lopin, m. (popular), spittle, or “gob.”

Loque, m. (thieves’), parler en ——, mode of disguising words. The word is preceded by the letter “l,” and the syllable preceded by the first letter of the word is added. Thus “fou” becomes “loufoque.”

Loques, f. pl. (thieves’), pieces of copper.

LorcefÉ, f. (thieves’), old prison of “La Force.” La —— des largues, the prison of Saint-Lazare, where prostitutes and unfaithful wives are confined.

Eh bien! si je te la fourrais À la lorcefÉ des largues (Saint-Lazare) pour un an, le temps de ton gerbement.—Balzac.

Lordant. See Lourdier.

Loret, m. (popular), lover of a lorette.

Lorette, f. (familiar), more than fast girl, or “mot,” named after the Quartier Notre Dame de Lorette, the Paris Pimlico. See Gadoue.

Lorgne, or lorgne-bÉ, m. (thieves’), one-eyed man. In English slang “a seven-sided animal;” the ace of cards, or “pig’s eye.”

Lorgnette, f. (thieves’), keyhole, this natural receptacle for a key being considered by thieves as an aperture convenient only for making investigations from the outside of a door. Etui À ——, coffin, or “cold-meat box.” Eteindre ses deux lorgnettes, to close one’s eyes.

Lorquet, m. (popular), sou.

Lot, m. (popular), venereal disease.

Lou, or loup, m. (popular), faire un ——, to spoil a piece of work.

Louanek (Breton cant), brandy.

Louave, m. (thieves’), drunkard. Être ——, to be drunk, “to be canon.” Faire un ——, to rob a drunkard. Rogues who devote their energies to this kind of thieving are termed “bug-hunters.”

Loubac, m. (popular), apprentice.

Loubion, m. (thieves’), bonnet or hat. See Tubard.

Loubionnier, m. (thieves’), hat or bonnet maker.

Louche, f. (thieves’), hand, or “duke.” La ——, the police, or “reelers.” La —— le renifle, the police are tracing him, he is getting a “roasting.”

LouchÉe, f. (thieves’), spoonful. From louche, a soup ladle.

Loucher (popular), de la bouche, to have a constrained, insincere smile; —— de l’Épaule, to be a humpback, or a “lord;” —— de la jambe, to be lame. Faire —— un homme, to inspire a man with carnal desire.

Loucherbem, m. (popular and thieves’), the word boucher disguised, see Lem; butcher. Corbillard des ——, see Corbillard.

Louchon, m., louchonne, f. (popular), person who squints, one with “swivel-eyes.”

Louffer (popular and thieves’), to foist, “to fizzle.” Si tu louffes encore sans dire fion je te passe À travers, if you “fizzle” again without apologizing I’ll thrash you.

Louffiat, m. (popular), low cad. Termed in the English slang a “rank outsider.”

Loufoque, adj. and m. (popular and thieves’), mad, or “cracked, balmy, or one off his chump.” The word fou disguised by means of the syllable loque. See Loque.

Louille, f. (thieves’), prostitute, or “bunter.” See Gadoue.

Louis, f. and m. (bullies’), une ——, a bully’s mistress, a prostitute. Abbreviation of Louis XV., women in brothels often powdering and dressing their hair Louis XV. fashion. See Gadoue.

(Popular) Un —— d’or, lump of excrement, or “quaker.”

Louisette, f. old appellation of the guillotine.

Louiza (Breton cant), water.

Loup, m. (popular), mistake; debt; creditor, or “dun;” misfit, or piece of work which has been spoilt; (printers’) lack of type; debt; creditor. Faire un ——, is to buy on credit.

Le jour de la banque, le crÉancier ou “loup” vient quelquefois guetter son dÉbiteur (nous allions dire sa proie) À la sortie de l’atelier pour rÉclamer ce qui lui est dÛ. Quand la rÉclamation a lieu À l’atelier, ce qui est devenu trÈs rare, les compositeurs donnent À leur camarade et au crÉancier une “roulance” accompagnÉe des cris: au loup! au loup!—Boutmy.

Loupate, m. (popular), the word “pou” disguised, a louse, or “grey-backed ’un.”

Loup-cervier, m. (familiar), stockjobber.

Loupe, f., laziness, “loafing.” Camp de la ——, vagabonds’ meeting-place. Chevalier de la ——, a lazy rambler or gad-about who goes about pleasure seeking. (Thieves’) Un enfant de la ——, a variety of the vagabond tribe.

Les Enfants de la loupe et les FilendÈches habitaient de prÉfÉrence l’extÉrieur des carriÈres, leurs fours À briques ou À plÂtre.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Louper (popular), to idle about pleasure seeking.

Loupeur (popular), lazy workman, or one who is “Mondayish.”

Loupiat, m. (popular), lazy, or “Mondayish,” workman; vagrant, or “pikey.”

Loupiau, or loupiot, m. (popular), child, or “kid.”

Loupion, m. (popular), hat, “tile.” See Tubard.

Lourde, or lourdiÈre, f. (thieves’), door, “jigger.” BÂcler la ——, to shut the door, “to dub the jigger.”

Lourdeau, m. (thieves’), devil, “ruffin,” or “darble.”

Lourdier, m. (popular), door-keeper.

Lousse, f. (thieves’), country gendarme or corps of gendarmerie.

LoussÉs, m. pl. (cads’), dix ——, fifty centimes. The word sous disguised.

Loustaud, m. (thieves’), prison, or “stir.” See Motte. Envoyer À ——, to send to the deuce, “to pot.”

Louter (popular). See Faire un lou.

Louveteau, m. (freemasons’), son of a freemason.

Louvetier, m. (printers’), man in debt.

Ce terme est pris en mauvaise part, car le typo auquel on l’applique est considÉrÉ comme faisant trop bon marchÉ de sa dignitÉ.—Boutmy.

Lubre, adj. (thieves’), dismal. Lubre comme un guichemard, as dismal as a turnkey.

Luc, m. (popular), messire ——, breech, or “tochas.” “Luc” is the anagram of “cul.” See Vasistas.

Lucarne, f. (popular), woman’s bonnet.

Autrefois on assimilait le capuchon des moines À une fenÊtre, d’oÙ le proverbe: dÉfiez-vous des gens qui ne voient le jour que par une fenÊtre de drap.—Michel.

Lucarne, monocular eye-glass. Crever sa ——, to break one’s eye-glass.

Lucques, m. pl. (thieves’), documents. Porte ——, pocket-book, “dee,” or “dummy.”

LucrÈce, f. (popular), faire sa ——, to put on a virtuous look.

LuctrÈme, m. (thieves’), skeleton key, “screw,” “Jack in the box,” or “twirl.” Filer le ——, to open a door by means of a skeleton-key, “to screw.”

Lugna (Breton cant), to look.

Luire, m. (old cant), brain.

Luis, or luisant, m. (thieves’), day.

Je rouscaille tous les luisans au grand haure de l’oraison.—Le Jargon de l’Argot. (I pray daily the great God of prayer.)

Luisant, m., see Luis; (familiar) dandy, “masher.”

Voici d’abord le pschutt, le vlan, les luisants, comme nous les nommons aujourd’hui.—P. Mahalin.

For synonymous terms see Gommeux.

Luisante, or luisarde, f. (thieves’), moon, or “parish lantern;” window, or “jump.”

Luisard, or luysard, m. (thieves’), sun. Luysard estampille six plombes, it is six o’clock by the sun.

Luisarde, f. (thieves’), moon, “parish lantern, or oliver.”

Lumignon, m. (thieves’), le grand ——, sun. Properly lumignon is a lantern.

Luminariste, m. (theatrical), lamp-lighter.

Luncher (familiar), to have lunch. From the English.

Lune, f. (thieves’), one franc; —— À douze quartiers, the wheel on which criminals were broken. (Familiar and popular) Lune, the behind. See Vasistas. Lune, large full face. Amant de la ——, man with amatory intentions who frequently goes out on nocturnal, but fruitless “caterwauling” expeditions. Voir la ——, is said of a maiden who is made a woman.

La petite a beau avoir de la dentelle, elle n’en verra pas moins la lune par le mÊme trou que les autres.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

LunÉ, adj. (popular), bien ——, in a good humour, well disposed.

Lunette, f. (popular), d’approche, guillotine. Passer en ——, to take in, “to do;” to harm. Etre passÉ en ——, to fail in business. Les lunettes, posteriors, or “cheeks.” (Popular) Lunettes, small fry. Je vais À la chasse aux ——, I am going to fish for small fry.

Luque, f. (thieves’ and mendicants’), certificate; false certificate, or false begging petition, “fakement;” passport; picture. Je sais bien aquiger les luques, I know well how to forge a certificate, or to make up pictures. Porte ——, pocket-book, or “dummy.” It seems probable that the term “une luque,” a picture, is derived from Saint-Luc, who formed the subject of the pictures used formerly by mendicants to ingratiate themselves with monks and nuns, as mentioned by Le Jargon de l’Argot.

Luquet, m. (thieves’ and mendicants’), forged certificate, or false begging petition, “fakement.”

Luron, m. (thieves’), avaler le ——, to partake of communion. The term was probably, in the origin, “le rond,” corrupted into its present form (Michel).

Lusignante, f. (popular), mistress, or “moll.”

Lusquin, m. (thieves’), charcoal.

Lusquines, f. pl. (thieves’), ashes.

Lustre, m. (thieves’), judge, or “beak.” (Theatrical) Chevaliers du ——, men who are paid to applaud at a theatre. Termed also “romains.” The staff of romains is termed “claque.”

Lustrer (thieves’), to try a prisoner, to have him in for “patter.”

Lutainpem, f. (thieves’ and cads’), prostitute, or “bunter.” See Gadoue. The term is nothing more than the word “putain” distorted by means of the syllable “lem.” See Lem.

LycÉe, m. (thieves’), prison, “stir, or Bastile.” For synonyms see Motte.

LycÉen, m. (thieves’), prisoner. Termed also “ÉlÈve du chÂteau.”

Lyonnaise, f. (popular), silk, “floss.” Etre À la ——, to wear a silk dress.