Albert Barrre

Mabillarde, f. (popular), girl leading a dissolute life, an habituÉe of the Bal Mabille. Called also “grue mabillarde.”

Mabillien, m., Mabillienne, f. (popular), male and female habituÉs of the Bal Mabille, a place much frequented by pleasure-seeking foreigners.

Les mabilliennes de 1863 se subdivisent en plusieurs catÉgories: la dinde, la solitaire, la grue.—Les MÉmoires du Bal Mabille.

Maboul, adj. (general), one “cracked,” or one with “a screw loose.” From the Arab.

C’est-y que t’es maboul? dit l’chef.—J’suis pas maboul, que je rÉponds.—G. Courteline.

Mac, m. (popular), abbreviation of “maquereau,” girl’s bully, or “Sunday man.” For synonyms see Poisson. The term also applies to any man living at a woman’s expense.

Maca, f. (popular), mistress of a bawdy-house. Termed also “MÈre Maca” or “macquecÉe.” Maca suiffÉe, a rich proprietress of a house of ill-fame. Maca, the Paris Morgue or dead-house. From machabÉe.

MacabÉe, m. (common). See MachabÉe.

Macache (military), no; —— bono, no good.

Allons, les deux rosses, debout!...—Pourquoi donc faire faut-y qu’on se lÈve?—Pour aller, reprit l’adjudant, casser la glace des abreuvoirs. LÀ dessus, assez causÉ: debout!...—Debout À trois heures du matin? Ah! macache.—G. Courteline.

Macadam, m. (familiar and popular), faire le ——, to walk to and fro on the pavement as a prostitute. Fleur de ——, street-walker. See Gadoue. Le gÉnÉral ——, the public. (Popular) Macadam, sweet white wine of inferior quality.

Chez nous c’est sous le noir et bas plafond d’un bouge que les voyous blafards, couleur tÊte de veau, font la vendange. Ils ont pour vin doux et nouveau le liquide appelÉ macadam, une boue jaunÂtre fade.—Richepin, Le PavÉ.

Macaire, m. (familiar and popular), un Robert ——, a swindler, one of the “swell mob.” Robert Macaire is a character in a play called L’Auberge des Adrets.

Macairisme, m. (familiar), any act referring to swindling operations.

Macaron, m. (popular), huissier, kind of attorney; (thieves’) informer, one who “blows the gaff,” a “snitcher.”

Cet homme qui criait si fort contre ceux que les gens de sa sorte nomment des macarons s’est un des premiers mis À table.—Vidocq. (That very man who complained so much of those whom such people term traitors has been one of the first to inform.)

Macaronnage, m. (thieves’), informing against, “blowing the gaff.”

Macaronner (thieves’), to inform against, “to blow the gaff,” or “to turn snitch.” Se ——, to run away, “to guy.” See Patatrot.

Macchoux, m. (popular), prostitute’s bully, or “Sunday man.” See Poisson.

MacÉdoine, f. (engine drivers’), fuel.

MachabÉ, adj. (popular), drunk. J’ai trop pictÉ, je suis À moitiÉ ——, I have been drinking too much, I am half drunk

MachabÉe, m. (popular), gay girls’ bully, or “ponce”; see Poisson; Jew, “mouchey, Ikey, or sheney;” body of a drowned person.

Je ne vois d’autre origine À cette expression que la lecture du chap. xii. du deuxiÈme livre des MachabÉes, qui a encore lieu aux messes des morts; ou plutÔt c’est de lÀ que sera venue la danse macabre, dont l’argot a conservÉ le souvenir.—Michel.

Case des machabÉes, cemetery. Le clou des machabÉes, the “Morgue” or Paris dead-house. Mannequin À machabÉes, hearse. (Thieves’) MachabÉe, traitor, or “snitcher.” Literally a corpse, the informer in a prison, when detected, being generally murdered by those he has betrayed by means of the punishment termed “accolade,” which consists in crushing him against a wall.

Machaber (popular), to die, “to kick the bucket.” See Pipe. Machaber quelqu’un, to drown one. Se ——, to drink. Je me suis machabÉ d’un litre, I have treated myself to a litre bottle of wine.

Machicot, m. (popular), bad, mean player, or one who plays a “tinpot game.” In the Contes d’Eutrapel, a French officer at the siege of Chatillon is ridiculously spoken of as Captain Tin-pot—Capitaine du Pot d’Etain. Tin-pot as generally used means worthless.

Machin, m. (general), expression used when one cannot recollect the name of a person, “thingumbob, or what’s name.”

Machine, f. (literary, artists’, theatrical), production.

Cela m’est bien Égal! Il n’est pas le seul À me dÉvisager. Je lui chanterai sa “machine” et il me laissera tranquille.—J. Sermet, Une Cabotine.

Grande ——, drama. MoliÈre uses the word to describe an important affair or undertaking:—

J’ai des ressors tout prÊts pour diverses machines.—L’Etourdi.

(Popular) Machine À moulures, breech, or “bum,” see Vasistas; —— À lisserpem, urinal; lisserpem being the word pisser disguised.

MÂchoire, f. (familiar and popular), blockhead. (Literary) Vieille ——, dull, old-fashioned writer; ignorant man.

L’on arrivait par la filiÈre d’ÉpithÈtes qui suivent: ci-devant, faux toupet, aile de pigeon, perruque, Étrusque, mÂchoire, ganache, au dernier degrÉ de dÉcrÉpitude, À l’ÉpithÈte la plus infamante, acadÉmicien et membre de l’Institut.—Th. Gautier.

MacMahon, m. (dragoons’), head of a Medusa at top of helmet.

MacMahonnat, m., period of Marshal MacMahon’s sway as President of the Republic. Everybody recollects the famous “J’y suis, j’y reste!” of the Marshal, and Gambetta’s reply, “Il faut se soumettre ou se dÉmettre.”

MaÇon, m. (popular), four-pound loaf; (freemasons’) —— de pratique, mason; —— de thÉorie, freemason; (familiar) disparaging epithet applied to any clumsy worker.

Macque, macquet. See Mac.

MacquecÉe. See Maca.

Macrotage, or maquereautage, m. (familiar and popular), living at a woman’s expense; used also figuratively to denote agency in some fishy business.

Macroter (familiar and popular), to live at a woman’s expense, —— une affaire, to be the agent in some fishy business.

Macrotin, m. (familiar and popular), one living at a woman’s expense, “pensioner” with an unmentionable prefix, young bully, young “ponce.” See Poisson.

Maculature, f. (printers’), attraper une ——, to get drunk, to get “tight.” See Sculpter.

Madame (popular), Milord quÉpÈte, lazy woman, who likes to lie in bed; —— Tiremonde (expression used by Rabelais), or Tire-pousse, midwife; (shopmen’s) —— Canivet, a female customer who cannot make up her mind, and leaves without purchasing anything, after having made the unfortunate shopman display all his goods.

Madeleine, f. (card-sharpers’), faire suer la ——, to cheat, or “bite,” with great difficulty.

Madelen (Breton cant), salt.

Mademoiselle Manette, f. (popular), portmanteau, or “peter.”

Madrice, f. (thieves’), cunning. Il a de la ——, he is cunning, or “is fly to wot’s wot.”

Madrin, madrine, adj. (thieves’), cunning, “leary, or fly to wot’s wot.”

Madrouillage, m. (thieves’), bungle.

Ma fiole (thieves’), me; myself, “my nibs.” Est-ce que tu te fiches de ——? are you laughing at me?

Magasin, m. (military), military school, “shop” at the R. M. Academy; (popular) —— de blanc, or de fesses, brothel.

Magistrat’muche, f. (thieves’), magistracy. Un pant’ de la ——, a magistrate, a “beak.” Termed “queer cuffin” in old cant.

MagnaniÈre, f. (thieves’), de ——, in order that. Il fagaut dÉvider la retentissante de —— À ne pas faire de l’harmonarÈs, we must break the bell so as not to make any noise.

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

Magnes, f. pl. (popular), affectation, “high-falutin” airs. Faire des ——, to make ceremonies. As-tu fini tes ——? none of your airs! “stop bouncing!” I don’t take that in! From maniÈres.

Magnette, f. (thieves’), name, or “monarch;” —— blague, false name. Il fagaut la —— blague de magnaniÈre que tu ne sois paga, you must take a false name lest you should be caught.

Magneuse, magnuce, manieuse, f. (popular). Michel says: “Fille de joie, femme qui se dÉprave avec des individus de son sexe ... quelque allusion malveillante, et sans doute calomnieuse, À une communautÉ religieuse. Je veux parler des Magneuses, qui devaient ce nom À leur fondatrice.”

Maguer (popular), se ——, to hurry.

Maigre, m. (thieves’), du ——! silence! “mum your dubber.” Also take care what you say, or “plant the whids.”

En vain se dÉmanche-t-il À faire le signe qui doit le sauver, du maigre! du maigre! crie-t-il À tue-tÊte.—Vidocq.

Maillard, m. (popular), fermer ——, to sleep, “to have a dose of balmy.” Fermeture ——, sleep, “balmy.” Etre terrassÉ par ——, to be extremely sleepy. In the above expressions an allusion is made to Maillard, the inventor of a peculiar kind of shutters.

Maillocher (bullies’), is said of a bully who watches a prostitute to see she does not secrete any part of her earnings, which are the aforesaid “pensioner’s” perquisites.

Main, f. (thieves’), jouer À la —— chaude, to be guillotined. An allusion to the posture of one playing hot cockles. See FauchÉ. (Popular) Acheter À la ——, to buy for cash. (Familiar) Une —— pleine pour un honnÊte homme, a strong, fresh, comely country lass. (Players’) Une ——, a set of tricks at baccarat or lansquenet.

Mains courantes, f. pl. (popular), feet, or “everlasting shoes;” shoes, or “trotter-cases.” Se faire une paire de —— À la mode, to run swiftly. See Patatrot.

Maison, f. (familiar and popular), À parties, a gaming-house in appearance, but in reality a brothel.

Un grand salon est ouvert À tous les amateurs; on risque galamment quelques louis ... et entre deux parties on passe À une autre variÉtÉ d’exercice dans une chambre ad hoc. Quelques-unes de ces maisons, connues sous le nom de “maisons À parties,” sont le suprÊme du genre.—LÉo Taxil.

Maison de sociÉtÉ, or À gros numÉro, brothel, “flash-drum, academy, buttocking-shop, or nanny-shop.” Fille de ——, prostitute at a brothel. MaÎtresse de ——, mistress of a brothel. Maison de passe, house of accommodation.

Un grand nombre de maisons de passe sont sous la coupe de la police. Ce sont des maisons tolÉrÉes par l’administration, À qui elles rendent de frÉquents services en dÉnonÇant les prostituÉes inscrites qui viennent s’y cacher.—Docteur Jeannel.

(Military) Maison de campagne, cells, “mill, or Irish theatre.” Aller À la —— de campagne, to be imprisoned, or “shopped.”

MaÎtre d’École, m. (horsebreakers’), well-trained horse harnessed with a young horse which is being broken in.

MaÎtresse, f. (popular), de maison, mistress of a brothel; —— de piano, old or ugly woman who acts as a kind of factotum to cocottes.

Major, m. (familiar), de table d’hÔte, elderly man with a military appearance, who acts as a protector to low gaming-house proprietors; (Ecole Polytechnique) first on the list; —— de queue, last on the list.

Mal (popular), blanchi, negro, “darky, or snowball.” Un —— À gauche, a clumsy fellow. Une —— peignÉe, a dissolute girl. (Thieves’) Mal sucrÉ, perjured witness. (Military) Avoir —— aux pieds, to wear canvas gaiters. (Familiar) Avoir —— aux cheveux, to have a headache caused by prolonged potations, especially when one is “stale drunk,” which generally occurs after the “jolly dog” has taken too many hairs of the other dog. (Theatrical) Avoir —— au genou, to be pregnant.

Malade, m. and adj. (thieves’), in prison, “put away.” When the prisoner leaves the “hÔpital,” or prison, he is pronounced “guÉri,” or free; (popular) —— du pouce, idle, or “Mondayish;” stingy, or “clunch fist.” With a bad thumb, of course, it is difficult to “fork out, to down with the dust, to sport the rhino, to tip the brads, or even to stump the pewter.”

Maladie, f. (familiar and popular), de neuf mois, pregnancy, or “white swelling.” The allusion is obvious. (Popular) Maladie! an ejaculation of disgust which may be rendered by “rot!” (Thieves’) Maladie, imprisonment, the convict being an inmate of “l’hÔpital,” or prison.

Maladroits, m. pl. (cavalry), sonnerie des ——, trumpet call for infantry drill.

MalaisÉe, f. (popular), faire danser la —— À quelqu’un, to thrash one, “to lead one a dance.” For synonyms see Voie.

Malandreux, adj. (popular), ill, “seedy, or hipped;” ill at ease.

Malapatte, m. (popular), clumsy man, “cripple.” Literally mal À la patte.

MalastiquÉ, m. (military), dirty; slovenly.

Maldine, f. (popular), “pension bourgeoise,” or boarding house; boarding school. Literally a place where one does not get a good dinner.

Malfrat, m. (popular), scamp, “bad egg.”

Malheur! (popular), an ejaculation of disgust, “rot!” “hang it all!”

Malheur!... Tiens, vous prenez du vent’e

Ah! bon, chaleur! J’comprends l’tableau!

Gill.

Malingrer (thieves’), to suffer. From malingre, which formerly had the signification of ill, and now means weakly.

Malingreux, adj. (popular), weak. In olden times a variety of mendicants.

Malingreux sont ceux qui ont des maux ou plaies, dont la plupart ne sont qu’en apparence; ils truchent sur l’entiffe.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.

Malle, f. (popular), faire sa ——, to die, “to kick the bucket, to snuff it, to stick one’s spoon in the wall.” See Pipe. (Military) Malle, lock-up, or “mill.”

En voilÀ assez, faut en finir: tout le peloton couchera À la malle ce soir.—G. Courteline.

Malouse, f. (thieves’), box, or “peter.”

Mal pensants (clericals’), les journaux ——, anti-clerical newspapers.

Les journaux “mal pensants” ne manquent jamais de relater ces esclandres. Aussi, pour que la quantitÉ ne puisse en Être connue, l’archevÊque a autorisÉ les prÊtres du diocÈse À ne pas porter la tonsure.—LÉo Taxil.

Mal-rasÉs, m. pl. (military), sappers; thus called on account of their long beards.

Maltais, m. (popular), low eating-house, a “grub ken.”

Maltaise, or maltÈse, f. (old cant), gold coin. According to V. Hugo, the coin was used on board the convict galleys of Malta. Hence the expression.

Maltouse, or maltouze, f. (thieves’), smuggling. Pastiquer la ——, to smuggle.

Maltousier, m. (thieves’), smuggler.

Malvas, m. (popular), scamp. From the ProvenÇal.

Malzingue, m. (thieves’), landlord of wine-shop; wine-shop.

Allons, venez casser un grain de raisin.—Nous entrÂmes chez le malzingue le plus voisin.—Vidocq. (Come and have a glass of wine.—We entered the first wine-shop we came to.)

Man (Breton cant), to kiss.

Manche, m. and f. (popular). DÉposer ses bouts de ——, to die, “to kick the bucket.” For synonyms see Pipe. (Mountebanks’) Faire la ——, to make a collection of money, or “break.”

La fille du barde fait la manche. Elle promÈne sa sÉbille de fer-blanc devant les spectateurs.—Henri Monnier.

From la buona mancia of the Italians, says Michel, which has the signification of a gratuity allowed a workman or guide, and “present” asked by a prostitute. (Familiar and popular) Le ——, the master. Jambes en manches de veste, bandy legs. (Thieves’) Faire la ——, to beg.

M’est avis que vous avez manquÉ le bon, l’autre sorgue. Quoi, le birbe qui avait l’air de faire la manche dans les garnaffes et les pipÉs.—Vidocq. (My opinion is that you missed the right man the other night. Why, the old fellow who pretended to be begging in the farms and mansions.)

Manchette, f. (military), coup de ——, a certain clever sword cut on the wrist.

Une ... deux ... parez celui-lÀ, c’est le coup de flanc. Ah! ah! pas assez malin. VoilÀ le coup de manchette! Pif! paf! Ça y est.—H. France, L’Homme qui tue.

Mancheur, m. (popular), street tumbler; thus called on account of his living on the proceeds of “la manche,” or collection.

Manchon, m. (popular), large head of hair. Avoir des vers dans son ——, to have bald patches on one’s head.

Mandarin, m. (literary), imaginary person who serves as a butt for attacks. Tuer le ——, to be guilty, by thought, of a bad action. An allusion to the joke about a question as to one’s willingness to kill a wealthy man at a distance by merely pressing a knob, and afterwards inheriting his money.

Mandibules, f. pl. (popular), jouer des ——, to eat, “to grub.” See Mastiquer.

Mandole, f. (popular), smack in the face. Jeter une ——, to give a smack in the face, “to fetch a wipe in the mug,” or, as the Americans have it, “to give a biff in the jaw.”

Mandolet, m. (thieves’), pistol, “barking-iron, or pop.”

Manego (Breton cant), handcuffs, or “darbies.”

Manette, f. (popular), Mademoiselle ——, a portmanteau, or “peter.”

Mangeoire, f. (popular), eating-house, “grubbing-crib.”

Manger (theatrical), du sucre, to be applauded; (military) —— le mot d’ordre, or la consigne, to forget the watchword; (popular) —— de la misÈre, or du boeuf, to be in poverty, to be a “quisby;” —— de la prison, to be in prison, in “quod;” —— du fromage, or du boeuf, to go to a comrade’s funeral. An allusion to the repast, or “wake,” as the Irish term it, after the funeral; —— de la merde, to be in a state of abject poverty, entailing all kinds of humiliations; —— du drap, or du mÉrinos, to play billiards, or “spoof;” —— le bon Dieu, to partake of communion.

Et c’est du propre d’aller manger le bon Dieu en guignant les hommes.—Zola.

Manger le pain hardi (obsolete), to act as servant; —— le poulet, to share unlawful profits; —— le pissenlit par la racine, to be dead and buried; —— du pain rouge, to make one’s living by murder and robbery; —— la soupe avec un grand sabre, to be the possessor of a very large mouth, like a slit made by a sword-cut; —— le nez À quelqu’un, to thrash one terribly, “to knock one into a cocked hat.” Je vais te —— le nez, a cannibal-like offer often made by a Paris rough to his adversary as a preliminary to a set-to. Manger une soupe aux herbes, to sleep in the fields. Se —— le nez, to fight. (Thieves’) Manger, to inform against, “to blow the gaff,” or “to turn snitch.”

Je vois bien qu’il y a parmi nous une canaille qui a mangÉ; fais-moi conduire devant le quart d’oeil, je mangerai aussi.—Vidocq.

Manger le morceau, to inform against, “to turn snitch.”

Mais t’es avertie, ne mange pas le morceau, sinon gare À toi!—Vidocq.

Manger sur l’orgue, to inform against, “to blow the gaff.” Orgue has here the signification of person, as in “mon orgue,” I, myself, “son orgue,” he, himself; —— sur quelqu’un, to inform against.

Le coqueur libre est obligÉ de passer son existence dans les orgies les plus ignobles; en relations constantes avec les voleurs de profession, dont il est l’ami, il s’associe À leurs projets. Pour lui tout est bon: vol, escroquerie, incendie, assassinat mÊme! Qu’est-ce que cela lui fait? Pourvu qu’il puisse “manger” (dÉnoncer) sur quelqu’un et qu’il en tire un bÉnÉfice.—MÉmoires de Canler.

Manger sur son niÈre, to inform against an accomplice, “to turn snitch against a pal;” —— du collÈge, to be in prison, to be “put away;” (familiar and popular) —— la grenouille, to appropriate the contents of a cash-box or funds entrusted to one’s care.

Mangeur, m. (general), de blanc, women’s bully, “ponce, pensioner, petticoat’s pensioner, Sunday-man.” See Poisson for synonyms.

Le paillasson Était il y a trente ans le “mangeur de blanc;” on le dÉsignait en 1788 sous le nom “d’homme À qualitÉ” et quelques annÉes auparavant c’Était un “greluchon.”—Michel.

Mangeur de bon Dieu, bigot, “prayer-monger;” —— de choucroute, German; —— de nez, quarrelsome, savage man. Paris roughs, before a set-to, generally inform their adversary of the necessity of disfiguring him by the savage words, “Il faut que je te mange le nez.” Mangeur de frimes, humbug, impostor; —— de pommes, a native of Normandy, the great orchard of France; —— de prunes, tailor, or “snip.” Termed also “pique-prunes, pique-poux.” (Thieves’) Mangeur, informer; —— de galette, informer in the pay of the police, “nark;” (convicts’) —— de fer, convict; (military) —— d’avoine, thief; thievish fellow.

Mangeuse de viande crue, f. (popular), prostitute. For synonyms see Gadoue.

Manicle, f. (thieves’), frÈre de la ——, thief, or “prig.” See Grinche.

ManiÈres, f. pl. (popular), as-tu fini tes ——? don’t be so stuck-up; none of your airs! don’t put it on so! “come off the tall grass” (Americanism), or “stop bouncing.”

Manival, m. (thieves’), charcoal dealer.

Manneau (thieves’), I, me (obsolete), now termed “mÉzigue, mÉzigo, mÉziÈre, mon gniasse.”

Mannequin, m. (popular), insignificant, contemptible man, or “snot.” The term may also be applied to a woman; —— À refroidis, or de machabÉes, hearse.

Mannezingue, m. (popular), landlord of wine-shop. Termed also “mastroc, mastroquet.”

Pas seulement une goutte de cric À mettre dans ma demi-tasse. La Martinet en a achetÉ, elle, pour quinze sous chez le mannezingue.—P. Mahalin.

Mannezingueur, m. (popular), habituÉ of wine-shops.

Manon, f. (popular), mistress; sweetheart, or “young woman.”

Manquant-sorti, m. (popular), one who cannot understand a joke.

Manque, f. (popular and thieves’), treachery.

GaffrÉ Était comme la plupart des agents de police, sauf la manque (perfidie), bon enfant, mais un peu licheur, c’est À dire gourmand comme une chouette.—Vidocq.

A la ——, to the left, from the Italian alla manca; damaged; ill; bad. Etre À la ——, to betray; to leave one in the lurch; to be short of cash; to be absent. Affaire À la ——, bad piece of business. Gonse À la ——, man not to be relied upon, who will leave one in the lurch; traitor, or “snitcher.” Fafiots, or fafelard À la ——, forged bank-notes, or “queer soft.” (Popular) Un canotier À la ——, awkward rowing man. Termed also “cafouilleux.”

Ecumeurs de calicot!—OhÉ! les canotiers À la manque!—Viens que je te fasse avaler ta gaffe!—E. Monteil.

Une balle À la ——, face of a one-eyed man.

Manquer le train, to lose one’s opportunities in life, and consequently to be the reverse of prosperous.

A dÉbute par un beau livre; B À vingt-cinq ans, expose un beau tableau.... Les mille obstacles de la bohÈme leur barrent le chemin... Ils resteront intelligents, mais ... ils ont manquÉ le train.—Tony RÉvillon.

Manquesse, f. (thieves’), bad character given to a prisoner on trial. Raffiler la ——, to give a bad character.

Manuscrit belge, m. (printers’), printed copy to be composed. According to EugÈne Boutmy the origin of the expression is to be found in the practice which existed formerly of entrusting Belgian compositors in Paris with printed copy only, and not manuscript, on account of their ignorance of the language.

Mappemonde, f. (popular), bosoms, “Charlies, or dairies.” Termed also “avant-scÈnes, oeufs sur le plat, avant-postes,” &c.

Maqua, f. (familiar and popular), obsolete, mistress of a brothel.

Maquart, m. (popular), bidoche, or bifteck de ——, horseflesh. From the name of a knacker.

Maque. See Mac.

MaquecÉe, f. (popular), mistress of a brothel. Called also “abbesse.”

Maquereautage. See Macrotage.

Maquereautin. See Macrotin.

Maqui, m. (popular and thieves’), paint for the face, or complexion powder, “slap, or splash.” Mettre du ——, to paint one’s face. (Card-sharpers’) Mettre du ——, to prepare cards for cheating, “to stock broads.”

Maquignon, m. (popular), kind of Jack of all trades, not honest ones. Properly horse-dealer; —— À bidoche, woman’s bully, or “pensioner.” See Poisson.

Maquignonnage, m. (familiar and popular), cheating on the quality of goods; making a living on the earnings of prostitutes.

Maquignonnage, pour maquerellage, mÉtier des maquereaux et des maquerelles, qui font nÉgoce de filles de dÉbauche.—CholiÈres.

Maquignonnage, swindling operation. Properly horse-dealing.

Maquillage, m. (popular and thieves’), work, or “elbow-grease;” the act of doing anything, “faking;” (card-sharpers’) card playing, tampering with cards, or “stocking of broads;” (familiar) the act of painting one’s face.

Elles font une prodigieuse dÉpense de comestiques et de parfumeries. Presque toutes se fardent les joues et les lÈvres avec une naÏvetÉ grossiÈre. Quelques-unes se noircissent les sourcils et le bord des paupiÈres avec le charbon d’une allumette À demi-brÛlÉe. C’est ce qu’on appelle le “maquillage.”—LÉo Taxil.

MaquillÉe, f. (familiar), harlot, or “mot.” Literally one with painted face.

Maquiller (thieves’), to do, “to fake;” —— des caroubles, to manufacture false keys; —— les brÈmes, to tamper with cards, “to stock broads;” to play cards; to cheat at cards; —— le papelard, to write, “to screeve;” —— son truc, to prepare a dodge; —— un suage, to make preparations for a murder. From faire suer, to murder; —— une cambriole, to strip a room, “to do a crib.” The word “maquiller” has as many different meanings as the corresponding term “to fake.” (Popular) Maquiller, to do; to manage; to work; —— le vitriol, to adulterate brandy.

Vieille drogue, tu as changÉ de litre!... Tu sais, ce n’est pas avec moi qu’il faut maquiller ton vitriol.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

Maquilleur, m., maquilleuse, f. (thieves’), card-player; card-sharper, or “broadsman.”

Maraille, f. (thieves’), people; world.

Marant, adj. (popular), laughable. Etre ——, to be ridiculous.

Marauder (coachmen’s), to take up fares when not allowed to do so by the regulations; refers also to a “cabby” who has no licence.

Maraudeur, m. (familiar), “cabby” who plies his trade without a licence.

Marbre, m. (journalists’), MS. about to be composed.

Marcandier, m., marcandiÈre, f. (thieves’), tradespeople; also a variety of the mendicant tribe, “cadger.”

Marcandiers sont ceux qui bient avec une grande hane À leur costÉ, avec un assez chenastre frusquin, et un rabas sur les courbes, feignant d’avoir trouvÉ des sabrieux sur le trimard qui leur ont ostÉ leur michon toutime.—Le Jargon de l’Argot. (Marcandiers are those who journey with a great purse by their side, with a pretty good coat, and a cloak on their shoulders, pretending they have met with robbers on the road who have stolen all their money.)

Marcassin, m. (popular), signboard painter’s assistant. Properly a young wild boar.

Marchand, m. (familiar), de soupe, head of a boarding-school; (popular) —— de larton, baker, “crumb and crust man, master of the rolls, or crummy.” Termed also “marchand de bricheton, or lartonnier;” —— d’eau chaude, “limonadier,” or proprietor of a cafÉ; —— d’eau de javelle, wine-shop landlord; —— de cerises, clumsy horseman, one who rides as if he had a basket on his arm; —— de morts subites, surgeon or quack, “crocus;” —— de sommeil, lodging-house keeper, “boss of a dossing crib;” —— de patience, man who, having secured a place in the long train of people waiting at the door of a theatre before the doors are opened, and known as “la queue,” allows another to take it for a consideration.

Si l’attente est longue ... les places seront plus chÈres; et comme je l’ai entendu dire un jour À l’un de ces curieux gagne-petit: V’la le monde qui s’agace, chouette! Y aura gras pour les marchands de patience!—Richepin, Le PavÉ.

(Thieves’) Marchand de tirelaine, night thief; —— de lacets, formerly a gendarme.

Le gendarme a diffÉrents noms en argot: quand il poursuit le voleur, c’est un marchand de lacets; quand il l’escorte, c’est une hirondelle de la GrÈve; quand il le mÈne À l’Échafaud, c’est le hussard de la guillotine.—Balzac.

Un —— de babillards, a bookseller, or an “et cetera.” (Military) Marchand de morts subites, professional duellist, a “fire-eater;” —— de puces, official who has charge of the garrison bedding. The allusion is obvious; (convicts’) —— de cirage, captain of a ship.

Est-ce que le marchand de cirage (elles appelaient ainsi le commandant), nous faisait peur?—Humbert, Mon Bagne.

(Journalists’) Marchands de lignes, authors who write for the sake of gain more than to acquire literary reputation.

Je crois fermement que le jour oÙ n’auraient plus accÈs À l’AcadÉmie certains hommes Éminents qui ne font point de livres, elle tomberait, de bonne heure, au niveau de cette corporation de “marchands de lignes” qu’on nomme la SociÉtÉ des Gens de lettres.—A. Dubrujeaud.

(Military) Un —— de marrons, officer who looks ill at ease in mufti.

Marchande, f. (popular), aux gosses, seller of toys; —— de chair humaine, mistress of a brothel.

Marche, m. (military), À terre, foot-soldier, “wobbler, beetle-crusher, mud-crusher, or grabby;” —— de flanc, repose; sleep; —— des zouaves, soldiers who go to medical inspection are said to execute the aforesaid march; —— oblique individuelle, the rallying of soldiers confined to barracks going up to roll call.

MarchÉ des pieds humides, m. (familiar), la petite Bourse, or meeting of speculators after the Exchange has been closed. Takes place on the Boulevards.

Marchef, m. (military), abbreviation of marÉchal-des-logis chef, quartermaster sergeant.

Marcher (popular), dans les souliers d’un mort, to inherit a man’s property; —— plan plan, to walk slowly; —— sur une affaire, to make a mull of some business. (Printers’) Marcher, to be of another’s opinion. Qu’en pensez-vous? Je marche. What do you think of it? I am of your opinion. (Thieves’) Marcher dessus, to prepare a robbery, or “lay a plant.”

Marches du palais, f. pl. (popular), wrinkles on forehead.

Marcheuse, f. (theatrical), walking female supernumerary in a ballet.

La marcheuse est ou un rat d’une grande beautÉ que sa mÈre, fausse ou vraie, a vendue le jour oÙ elle n’a pu devenir ni premier, ni second, ni troisiÈme sujet de la danse.—Balzac.

L’emploi des “marcheuses” n’existe pas dans le ballet, en Russie. Le personnel fÉminin est entiÈrement composÉ de sujets qui dansent ou miment, selon les exigences de la situation.—A. Biguet, Le Radical, 18 Nov., 1886.

(Popular) Marcheuse, variety of prostitute. See Gadoue.

Leurs fonctions les plus ordinaires sont de rester À la porte, d’indiquer la maison, d’accompagner, de surveiller et de donner la main aux jeunes. On les dÉsigne dans le public sous le nom de marcheuses.—LÉo Taxil.

Marchis. See Marchef.

Mardi s’il fait chaud (popular), never (obsolete), at Doomsday, “when the devil is blind.”

Mare, or mariolle, adj. (popular and thieves’), clever, sharp, cunning, “leary,” or one who is “fly to wot’s wot.”

MarÉcageux, adj. (popular), oeil ——, eye with languid expression, with a killing glance.

Margauder (familiar), to run down a person or thing.

Margoulette, f. (popular), rincer la —— À quelqu’un, to treat one to drink. DÉbrider la ——, to eat, “to put one’s nose in the manger.” See Mastiquer. DÉboÎter la —— À quelqu’un, to damage one’s countenance. Mettre la —— en compote, superlative of above.

Margoulin, m. (commercial travellers’), retailer.

Margoulinage (commercial travellers’), retailing.

Margouliner (commercial travellers’), to retail.

Margoulis, m. (popular), scandal.

Marguerites, f. pl. (popular), or —— de cimetiÈre, white hairs in the beard.

Marguillier de bourrache, m. (thieves’), juryman. This expression is connected with “fiÈvre chaude,” or accusation, borage tea being given to patients in cases of fever.

Marguinchon, f. (popular), dissolute girl, a “regular bitch.”

Mariage, m. (popular), À l’Anglaise, marriage of a couple who, directly after the ceremony, separate and live apart; —— d’Afrique, or —— À la dÉtrempe, cohabitation of a couple living as man and wife, of a pair who live “tally.” From “peindre À la dÉtrempe,” to paint in distemper. Compare the English expression, “wife in water-colours,” or mistress.

Marianne, f. (popular), la ——, the Republic. (Thieves’) Marianne, guillotine. See Voyante.

Mariasse, m. (popular), scamp, “bad egg.”

Marida, f. (cads’ and thieves’), married woman.

Marie-je-m’embÊte (popular), faire sa ——, to make many ceremonies; to allow oneself to be begged repeatedly.

Marie-mange-mon-prÊt, f. (military), mistress. Literally Mary spends my pay.

Marin, m. (popular), d’eau douce, one who sports a river-boat; —— de la Vierge Marie, river or canal bargee.

Maringotte, f. (popular), mountebank’s show-waggon, or “slang.”

Mariol, mariolle, adj. and m. (popular and thieves’), cunning, “downy, or fly to wot’s wot.”

Mariolisme, m. (popular and thieves’), cunning.

Mariolle, m. and adj. (popular and thieves’), cunning, knowing man, a deep or artful one, “one who has been put up to the hour of day, who is fly to wot’s wot.” Termed also a “file,” originally a term for a pickpocket, when to file was to cheat and to rob.

Marionnette, f. (popular), soldier, or “grabby.”

Mari Robin (Breton cant), gendarmes.

Marlou, m. and adj. (general), prostitute’s bully, “ponce, or pensioner.” See Poisson.

Les marlous qui soutiennent les filles en carte, les insoumises du trottoir et les femmes des maisons de bas Étage, ne se contentent pas de ranÇonner ces malheureuses qu’ils appellent leur marmite, leur dabe; ils dÉtroussent sans cesse les passants et assassinent pour s’entretenir la main.—LÉo Taxil.

Marlou, cunning, “downy.”

La viscope en arriÈre et la trombine au vent

L’oeil marlou, il entra chez le zingue.

Richepin.

(Thieves’) Le — de Charlotte, the executioner, nicknamed Charlot.

Marloupatte, or marloupin, m. (popular), prostitute’s bully, or “petticoat’s pensioner.”

Ce marloupatte pÂle et mince

Se nommait simplement Navet;

Mais il vivait ainsi qu’un prince ...

Il aimait les femmes qu’on rince.

Richepin.

Marloupin, m. (popular and thieves’), prostitute’s male associate, “pensioner, petticoat’s pensioner, Sunday man, prosser, or ponce.” See Poisson.

Quand on paie en monnai’ d’singe

Nous aut’ marloupins,

Les sal’s michetons qu’a pas d’linge,

On les pass’ chez paings.

Richepin.

Marlousier. See Marloupin.

Marmier, m. (thieves’), shepherd.

Marmite, f. (bullies’), mistress of a bully. Literally flesh-pot. The allusion is obvious, as the bully lives on the earnings of his associate.

Un souteneur sans sa marmite (sa maÎtresse) est un ouvrier sans travail, ... pour lui tout est lÀ: fortune, bonheur, amour, si ce n’est pas profaner ce dernier mot que de lui donner une acception quelconque À l’Égard du souteneur.—MÉmoires de Canler.

Marmite de terre, prostitute who does not pay her bully; —— de cuivre, one who brings in a good income; —— de fer, one who only brings in a moderate one. (Military) La —— est en deuil, the fare is scanty at present, that is, the flesh-pot is empty.

Marmiton de Domange, m. (popular), scavenger employed in emptying cesspools, or “gold-finder.” Domange was a great contractor in the employ of the city authorities.

Marmot, m. (thieves’), nourrir un ——, to make preparations for a robbery, “to lay a plant.” Literally to feed, to nurse a child.

Marmottier, m. (popular), a native of Savoy. Literally one who goes about exhibiting a marmot.

Marmouse, f. (thieves’), beard.

Marmouset, m. (thieves’), flesh-pot. Le —— riffode, the pot is boiling.

Marmousin, m. (popular), child, or “kid.”

Marmyon, m. (thieves’), flesh-pot, and figuratively purse.

Marne, f. (popular), faire la ——, is said of prostitutes who prowl about the river-side.

Marner (popular), to steal, or “to nick.” See Grinchir. Marner, to work hard, “to sweat.”

Marneur, m. (popular), strong, active labourer.

Marneuse, f. (popular), prostitute of the lowest class who plies her trade by the river-side. See Gadoue.

Maron, or marron, adj. (thieves’), caught in the act.

Non, il n’est pas possible, disait l’un; pour prendre ainsi “marons” les voleurs, il faut qu’il s’entende avec eux.—Vidocq.

Maron, or muron, salt.

Maronner (thieves’), to fail. Une affaire maronnÉe, fruitless attempt at robbery.

Il y a du renaud À l’affaire de la chique, elle est maronnÉe, le dabe est revenu.—Vidocq. (There is some trouble about the job at the church, it has failed, father is returned.)

Marot, adj. (popular), cunning; “up to snuff, one who knows wot’s wot, one who has been put up to the hour of day, one who knows what’s o’clock, leary.”

Marottier, m. (thieves’), hawker, or “barrow-man;” pedlar travelling about the country selling stuffs, neckerchiefs, &c., to country people. Termed, in the English cant, a “dudder” or “dudsman.” “In selling a waistcoat-piece,” says the Slang Dictionary, “which cost him perhaps five shillings, for thirty shillings or two pounds, he would show great fear of the revenue officer, and beg the purchasing clodhopper to kneel down in a puddle of water, crook his arm, and swear that it might never become straight if he told an exciseman, or even his own wife. The term and practice are nearly obsolete. In Liverpool, however, and at the East-end of London, men dressed up as sailors, with pretended silk handkerchiefs and cigars, ‘only just smuggled from the Indies,’ are still to be plentifully found.”

Marpaut, or marpeau, m. (old cant), man; master of a house (obsolete).

Pour n’offenser point le marpaut,

Afin qu’il ne face deffaut

De foncer À l’appointement.

Le Pasquil de la rencontre des Cocus.

The word was formerly used by the Parisians with the signification of fool, greenhorn, loafer.

Marpaud. Mot de Paris, pour sot, niais, nigaut, badaud.—Le Roux, Dict. Comique.

Again, Cotgrave renders it as an ill-favoured scrub, a little ugly, or swarthy wretch; also a lickorous or saucy fellow; one that catches at whatever dainties come in his way. Michel makes the remark that morpion (crab-louse, a popular injurious term) must be derived from marpaut.

Marquant, m. (thieves’), man; master; chief of a gang, or “dimber damber;” women’s bully, or “Sunday man,” see Poisson; drunkard, or one who gets “canon.”

Marque, f. (familiar), horizontale de grande ——, very fashionable cocotte. Horizontale de petite ——, the ordinary sort of cocottes.

DÉcidÉment je ne sais quelle ardeur guerriÈre a soufflÉ sur nos horizontales de grande marque et de petite marque, mais depuis un mois nous avons À enregistrer un nouveau combat singulier dont elles sont les hÉroÏnes.—Le Figaro, Oct., 1886.

(Thieves’) Marque, girl, or “titter;” woman, “laced mutton, hay-bag, cooler, shakester;” prostitute, or “bunter;” month, or “moon.” Il a ÉtÉ messiadien À six marques pour pÉgrasse, he has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for theft. Six marques, six months, or “half a stretch.” Une —— de cÉ, a thief’s wife. Termed, in old cant, “autem-mort;” autem, a church, and mort, woman. Marque franche, or marquise, a thief’s female associate, or “mollisher.” Concerning this expression, Michel says:—

On trouve dans l’ancienne germania espagnole “marca, marquida et marquisa” avec le sens de “femme publique.”—Dict. d’Argot.

Quart de ——, week. Tirer six marques, to be imprisoned for six months, “to do half a stretch, or a sixer.”

MarquÉ, m. and adj. (thieves’), month, “moon.” From the Italian marchese. Concerning this word, Michel says:—

Il ne saurait Être douteux que ce nom ne soit venu À cette division de l’annÉe, de l’infirmitÉ pÉriodique qu’ont les “marques” ou femmes, “lors que la Lune, pour tenir sa diette et vaquer À ses purifications menstruelles, fait marquer les logis fÉminins par son fourrier, lequel pour escusson n’a que son impression rouge.”—Dict. d’Argot.

(Popular) Etre ——, to have a black eye, or “mouse.” (Printers’) MarquÉ À la fesse, tiresome, over-particular man.

Marque-mal, m. (printers’), one who receives the folios from the printing machine; (popular) an ugly man, one with a “knocker face.”

Marquer (popular), À la fourchette is said of a restaurant or coffee-house keeper who adds imaginary items to a bill; —— le coup, to clink glasses when drinking. Bien ——, to show a good appearance, marquer mal being the reverse. Ne plus ——, is said of a woman who is past her prime; that is, who no longer has her menses. (Thieves’) Marquer, to have the appearance of a man in good circumstances.

Marquin, m. (thieves’), hat or cap, “tile.” See Tubard.

Marquis d’Argentcourt, m. (popular), or de la Bourse Plate, needy and vain-glorious man.

Marquise, f. (familiar), kind of mulled white claret; (thieves’) wife, or “raclan.”

Nouzailles pairons notre proie,

A ta marquise d’un baiser,

A toi d’un coup d’arpion au proye.

Richepin.

Marraine, f. (thieves’), female witness.

Marre, f. (popular), amusement. Etre À la ——, to be joyously inclined; to amuse oneself. J’en ai pris une ——, I have enjoyed myself.

Marrer (popular), se ——, to amuse oneself; to be amused. Pensez si je me marre? Mince! Don’t I get amused, just!

Marron, or maron, adj. (popular), sculptÉ, grotesque, ugly face, or “knocker-head.” Cocher ——, “cabby” without a licence. Etre ——, to be taken in, “bamboozled.” (Military) Marron, report of an officer who goes the rounds; (printers’) clandestine print; also compositor working on his own account at a printer’s, who furnishes him with the necessary plant for a consideration. (Thieves’) Paumer or pommer ——, to catch in the act, red-handed.

On la crible À la grive,

Je m’la donne et m’esquive,

Elle est pommÉe marron.

Vidocq.

(Thieves’) Etre servi ——, to be caught in the act.

Que je sois servie marron au premier messiÈre que je grinchirai si je lui en ouvre simplement la bouche.—Vidocq.

Marronner, or maronner (thieves’), un grinchissage, to make an unsuccessful attempt at a robbery through lack of skill or due precautions. Maronner, to suspect.

Je maronne que la roulotte de Pantin trime dans le sabri.—V. Hugo, Les MisÉrables. (I suspect that the Paris mail-coach is going through the wood.)

Marseillaise, f. (popular), short pipe, or “cutty,” called “dudeen” by the Irish. Avoir une —— dans le kiosque, to be “cracked.” For synonyms see Avoir.

Enfin, pour sÛr la politique lui aura tournÉ la tÊte! Il a une Marseillaise dans le kiosque.—Baumaine et Blondelet.

Marsouin, m. (popular), smuggler; (military) marine, or “jolly.” Literally porpoise.

Martin, m. (popular), fournir ——, to wear furs. “Martin” is the equivalent of “Bruin.” Le mal Saint-Martin had formerly the signification of intoxication. An allusion to the sale of wine at fairs held on Saint Martin’s day.

Martinet, m. (thieves’), punishment irons used at the penal servitude settlements. Properly a cat-o’-nine tails.

Martingalier, m. (gamblers’), gamester who imagines he is master of an infallible process for winning.

C’est un martingalier. C’est un des abstracteurs de quintessence moderne, qui s’imaginent avoir trouvÉ la marche infaillible pour faire sauter les banques.—Richepin.

Martyr, m. (military), corporal. Termed also “chien de l’escouade.”

Mascotte, f., gambler’s fetish.

Masquer en alezan (horsedealers’), to paint a horse so as to deceive purchasers. Termed also “maquiller un gayet.” Among other dishonest practices, horsedealers play improper tricks with an animal to make him look lively: they “fig” him, the “fig” being a piece of wet ginger placed under a horse’s tail for the purpose of making him appear lively, and enhance his price.

Massage, m. (popular), work, “graft,” or “elbow grease.”

Masse, f. (military), avoir la —— complÈte, to possess a well-filled purse. La —— noire, mysterious cash-box, supposed, by suspicious soldiers, to enclose the proceeds of unlawful profits made at the expense of the aforesaid by non-commissioned officers entrusted with the victualling or clothing department. (Thieves’ and cads’) Masse, work, “graft,” or “elbow grease.”

Masser (popular and thieves’), to work, “to graft.”

Tu sais, j’dis Ça À ton copain,

Pa’c’que j’vois qu’ c’est un gonc’ qui boude,

Mais entre nous, mon vieux lapin,

J’ai jamais massÉ qu’À l’ver l’coude.

Richepin.

Masseur, m. (popular), active workman.

Mastar au gras-double, f. (thieves’), faire la ——, or la faire au mastar, to steal lead off roofs, “to fly the blue pigeon.”

MastarÉ, adj. (thieves’), leaden.

Mastaroufleur, m. (thieves’), one who steals lead, a “bluey cracker.”

Mastic, m. (freemasons’), bread or meat; (popular) deceit. PÉter sur le ——, to forsake work. (Thieves’) Mastic, man, or “cove;” (printers’) long, entangled speech; (theatrical) painting and otherwise making-up one’s face. Faire son ——, to paint one’s face, “to stick slap on.”

C’est l’ensemble de ces travaux de badigeon qui constitue le mastic. Un mastic consciencieux exige prÈs d’une heure de peine.—P. Mahalin.

Mastiquer (popular), to cobble; (familiar and popular) to eat, “to grub,” “to yam.” It seems this latter term is connected with the word yam, the English name of the large edible tuber Dioscorea, a corruption of the name used in the West Indies at the time of the discovery, iniama or inhame. With regard to the expression the Slang Dictionary says:—“This word is used by the lowest class all over the world; by the Wapping sailor, West Indian negro, or Chinese coolie. When the fort called the ‘Dutch Folly,’ near Canton, was in course of erection by the Hollanders, under the pretence of being intended for an hospital, the Chinese observed a box containing muskets among the alleged hospital stores. ‘Hy-aw!’ exclaimed John Chinaman, ‘how can sick man yam gun?’ The Dutch were surprised and massacred the same night.” The synonyms for the term to eat, in the various kinds of French slang, are the following: “Tortiller du bec, becqueter, bÉquiller, chiquer, bouffer, boulotter, taper sur les vivres, pitancher, passer À la tortore, tortorer, se l’envoyer, casser la croustille, briffer, brouter, se caler, se calfater le bec, mettre de l’huile dans la lampe, se coller quelque chose dans le fanal, dans le fusil, or dans le tube, chamailler des dents, jouer des badigoinces, jouer des dominos, dÉchirer la cartouche, gobichonner, engouler, engueuler, friturer, gonfler, morfiaillier, cacher, se mettre quelque chose dans le cadavre, se lester la cale, se graisser les balots, se caresser l’AngoulÊme, friper, effacer, travailler pour M. Domange, clapoter, dÉbrider la margoulette, croustiller, charger pour la Guadeloupe, travailler pour Jules, se faire le jabot, jouer des osanores.”

Mastiqueur, m. (popular), cobbler.

Mastroc, mastro, or mastroquet, m. (popular), landlord of wine-shop. Termed also “bistrot, troquet, mannezingue, empoisonneur.”

Tout rÉcemment, j’Étais À la Bourbe, allÉ voir

Une fille, de qui chez un mastroc, un soir,

J’avais fait connaissance.

Gill.

Mata, m. (printers’), abbreviation of matador, swaggerer, one who “bulldozes,” as the Americans say.

Matador, m. (popular), faire son ——, to give oneself airs; to swagger, to look “botty.” From the Spanish matador, bull-killer.

Matagot, m. (obsolete), funny eccentric individual who amuses people by his antics. Rabelais used it with the signification of monkey, monk:—

Ci n’entrez pas, hypocrites, bigots,

Vieux matagots, mariteux, boursoflÉ.

Gargantua.

Matatane, f. (military), guard-room; cells, “mill, jigger, or Irish theatre.”

Matelas, m. (popular), ambulant, street-walker, or “bed-fagot.” See Gadoue.

Matelasser (popular), se ——, is said of a woman who makes up for nature’s niggardliness by padding her bodice.

Matelot, m. (sailors’), chum, mate.

Matelote, f. (sailors’), trimer À la ——, to be a sailor.

Et de Nantes jusqu’À Bordeaux,

Trime À la matelote,

N’ayant qu’un tricot sur le dos,

Et pour fond de culotte

Le drap d’sa peau.

Richepin, La Mer.

Mateluche, m. (sailors’), bad sailor.

MatÉriaux, m. pl. (freemasons’), food.

MatÉrielle, f. (gamesters’), one’s bread and cheese.

Et alors, quelques malheureux pontes ... se sont livres au terrible travail qui consiste À gagner avec des cartes le pain quotidien, ce que les joueurs appellent la matÉrielle.—Belot, La Bouche de Madame X.

Maternelle, f. (students’), mother, “mater.”

Mathurin, m. (sailors’), sailor, “salt, or Jack tar.” Termed also “otter;” wooden man-o’-war. Parler ——, to speak the slang of sailors.

Je ne suis pas de ces vieux frÈres premier brin

Qui devant qu’Être nÉs parlaient jÀ mathurin,

Au ventre de leur mÈre apprenant ce langage,

Roulant À son roulis, tanguant À son tangage.

Richepin.

(Thieves’) Les mathurins, dice, or “ivories.” (Popular) Mathurins plats, dominoes.

Ces objets doivent leur nom d’argot À leur ressemblance avec le costume des Trinitaires, vulgairement appelÉs Mathurins, qui chez nous portaient une soutane de serge blanche, sur laquelle, quand ils sortaient, ils jetaient un manteau noir.—Michel.

Matignon, m. (thieves’), messenger.

Matois, or matouas, m. (thieves’), morning.

Le condÉ de Nanterre et un quart d’oeil, suivis d’un trÈpe de cuisiniers sont aboulÉs ce matois À la taule.—Vidocq. (The mayor of Nanterre and a commissaire de police, followed by a body of police, came this morning to the house.)

Matou, m. (popular), man who is fond of the petticoat. Bon ——, libertine, “rattle-cap,” or “molrower.” Literally a good tomcat.

Matraque, m. (soldiers’ in Africa), bludgeon.

Nous avions brÛlÉ le pays. Vous dire pourquoi, j’en serais bien en peine: une poule volÉe À un colon influent, un coup de matraque appliquÉ par un BÉdouin ruinÉ sur la tÊte d’un Juif voleur ... et pif, paf, boum, coups de fusils, obus.—Hector France, Sous le Burnous.

Matriculer (military), to steal; said ironically, as “le numÉro matricule,” borne by a soldier’s effects, is the only proof of ownership. Se faire ——, to get punished, “to be shopped.”

MÂts, m. pl. (thieves’), les deux ——, the guillotine. See Voyante.

Matte, f. (thieves’), enfant de la ——, thief, a “family-man.” For synonyms see Grinche. Michel says matte is derived from the Italian mattia, folly; so that “enfants de la matte” signifies literally children of folly.

Maturbes, m. pl. (thieves’), dice, or “ivories.” Jouer des ——, to eat, “to grub.”

Maube, f. (popular), Place ——, for Place Maubert, a low quarter of Paris.

MaugrÉe, m. (thieves’), governor of a prison. From maugrÉer, to grumble.

Mauricaud, m. (thieves’), cash-box, “peter.”

Il faut tomber sur ce mauricaud, et selon moi ce n’est pas la chose du monde la plus facile.—Vidocq. (We must find the cash-box, and in my opinion it is not the easiest thing in the world.)

Mauvaise (general), elle est ——! bad joke! bad trick! “sawdust and treacle!” none of that! “draw it mild!”

Mauve, f. (popular), umbrella of a reddish colour, a kind of “gingham.”

Mauviette, f. (popular), ribbon of a decoration in the button-hole.

Mayeux, m. (popular), humpback, or “lord.” Name given to a caricatured individual, a humpback, who appears in many of the coloured caricatures of 1830. Mayeux is a form of the old name Mahieu (Mathieu).

Mazagran, m. (general), coffee served up in a glass at cafÉs, or mixture of coffee and water.

Mazaro, or lazaro, m. (military), cells, “jigger,” Irish theatre, or mill.

Maze, f. (thieves’), abbreviation of Mazas, a central prison in Paris. Tirer un congÉ À la ——, to serve a term of imprisonment in Mazas.

Mazette, f. (military), recruit, or “Johnny raw;” man, or “cove.”

Mec, or meg, m. (thieves’), master; chief, “dimber damber.”

Bravo, mec! faisons lui son affaire et renquillons À la taule, je cane la pÉgrenne.—Vidocq. (Bravo, chief, let us do for him, and let us return home, I am dying of hunger.)

(Popular and thieves’) Mec, women’s bully, or “ponce.” See Poisson. Un —— À la redresse, good, straightforward man. Le —— des mecs, the Almighty.

Voyons, daronne ... il ne faut pas jeter À ses paturons le bien que le mec des mecs nous envoie.—Vidocq. (Come, mother, we must not throw at our feet the good things which the Almighty sends us.)

Mec À la colle forte, desperate malefactor; —— À sonnettes, rich man, “rag-splawger;” —— de la guiche, women’s bully, or “ponce,” see Poisson; —— des gerbiers, executioner; —— de la rousse, prefect of police; (popular) —— À la roue, one who is conversant with the routine of a trade.

MÉcanicien, m. (popular), executioner’s assistant.

MÉcanique, f. (popular), guillotine. Charrier À la ——, see Charrier.

MÉcaniser (thieves’), to guillotine; (popular) to annoy.

Coupeau voulut le rattraper. Plus souvent qu’il se laissÂt mÉcaniser par un paletot.—Zola.

MÉchant, adj. (familiar and popular), n’Être pas ——, to be inferior, of little value, “tame, no great scratch.” Un livre pas ——, a “tame” book. Une plaisanterie pas mÉchante, a dull joke. Un caloquet pas ——, a plain bonnet.

MÈche (popular), il y a ——, it is possible. Il n’y a pas——, it is impossible. This expression has passed into the language. Et ——! and the rest! Combien avez-vous payÉ, dix francs?—Et mÈche! How much did you pay, twenty francs?—Yes, and something over. (Thieves’) Etre de ——, to go halves.

On vous obÉira. J’ai trop envie d’Être de mÈche.—Vidocq. (You shall be obeyed. I have too great a desire to go halves.)

Also to be in confederacy.

M’est avis que tu es de mÈche avec les rupins pour nous emblÊmer.—Vidocq. (My opinion is that you are in confederacy with the swells to deceive us.)

Six plombes et ——, half-past six. (Printers’) MÈche, work. Chercher ——, to seek for employment.

MÉchi, m. (thieves’), misfortune. From the old French “meschief,” mischief.

MÉchillon, m. (thieves’), quarter of an hour.

Mecq, m. (popular), prostitute’s bully. See Poisson.

Mecque, f. (thieves’), man, or “cove;” victim.

MÉdaillard, m. (artists’), artist who has obtained a medal at the Exhibition.

MÉdaille, f. (popular), silver five-franc coin; also called —— de Saint-Hubert; —— d’or, twenty-franc piece; —— en chocolat, the Saint-Helena medal. Called also “mÉdaille de commissionnaire,” or “contre-marque du PÈre-Lachaise.”

MÉdaillon, m. (popular), breech, see Vasistas; —— de flac, cul-de-sac, or blind alley.

MÉdecin, m. (thieves’), counsel, or “mouth-piece.” It is natural that thieves should follow the advice of a doctor when on the point of entering the “hÔpital,” or prison, where they will stay as “malades,” or prisoners, and whence they will come out “guÉris,” or free.

MÉdecine, f. (thieves’), defence by a counsel; advice. Une —— flambante, a piece of good advice.

Collez-moi cinquante balles et je vous coque une mÉdecine flambante.—Vidocq. (Tip me fifty francs, and I’ll give you a piece of good advice.)

(Popular) MÉdecine, dull, tiresome person.

MÉfiant, m. (military), foot soldier, “beetle-crusher, or grabby.”

Meg, m. (thieves’), chief. Le —— des megs, God.

Il y a un mot qui reparaÎt dans toutes les langues du continent avec une sorte de puissance et d’autoritÉ mystÉrieuse. C’est le mot magnus; l’Ecosse en fait son mac qui dÉsigne le chef du clan ... l’argot en ait le meck et plus tard le meg, c’est À dire Dieu.—V. Hugo, Les MisÉrables.

MÉgard, m. (thieves’), head of a gang of thieves, or “dimber damber.”

MÉgo, m. (popular), balance in favour of credit.

MÉgot, m. (popular), end of cigarette.

MÉgottier, m. (popular), one whose trade is to collect cigar or cigarette ends, a “hard up.”

MÉlasse, f. (popular), tomber dans la ——, to be in great trouble, or “hobble;” to be ruined, or “to go a mucker.”

MÉlasson, m. (popular), clumsy, awkward man, “a cripple;” dunce, or “flat.”

MÊlÉ, m. (popular), mixture of anisette, cassis, or absinthe, with brandy.

Melet, m., melette, f., adj., (thieves’), small.

MÉlo, m. (familiar and popular), abbreviation of mÉlodrame.

Le bon gros mÉlo a fait son temps.—Paris Journal.

Melon, m. (cadets’ of the military school of Saint-Cyr), a first-term student. Called “snooker” at the R. M. Academy, and “John” at the R. M. College of Sandhurst. (General) Un ——, a dunce, or “flat.” Termed “thick” at Winchester School.

Membre de la caravane, m. (popular), prostitute, or “mot.” See Gadoue. Euphemism for “chameau.”

Membrer (military), to drill; to work.

Poussant Éternellement devant eux une brouette qu’ils avaient soin de laisser Éternellement vide, s’arrÊtant pour contempler ... les camarades qui membraient.—G. Courteline.

MÉnage À la colle, m. (familiar), cohabitation of an unmarried couple, the lady being termed “wife in water-colours.”

Mendiant, m. (familiar), À la carte, a begging impostor who pretends to have been sent by a person whose visiting card he exhibits; —— À la lettre, begging-letter impostor; —— au tabac, beggar who pretends to pick up cigar ends.

Mendigot, mendigo, or mendigoteur (popular), a variety of the brotherhood of beggars that visits country houses and collects at the same time information for burglars; a “putter up.” La faire au mendigo, to pretend to be begging.

Mendigoter (popular), to beg.

MenÉe, f. (thieves’), dozen. Une —— d’ornichons, a dozen chickens.

Mener (military), pisser quelqu’un, to compel one to fight a duel. (Popular) On ne le mÈne pas pisser, he has a will of his own, one can’t do as one likes with him. N’en pas —— large, to be ill at ease, or crestfallen, “glum.”

Puis une fois la fumÉe dissipÉe, on verra une vingtaine d’assistants sur l’flanc, foudrayÉs du coup en n’en m’nant pas large.—Trublot, Cri du Peuple.

(Thieves’) Mener en bateau, to deceive, “to stick.”

Ces patriarches, pÈres et fils de voleurs, ne restent pas moins fidÈles À leur abominable lignÉe. Ils n’instruisent la prÉfecture que pour la mener en bateau.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Mener en bateau un pante pour le refaire, to deceive a man in order to rob him, “to bamboozle a jay and flap him.”

Menesse, f. (thieves’ and cads’), prostitute, or “bunter,” see Gadoue; mistress, or “doxy.”

MenÊtre, f. (thieves’), soup.

Meneuse, f. (popular), woman who entices a passer-by to some back alley, where he is robbed, and sometimes murdered, by accomplices. Also woman whose calling is to take charge of babies, and take them to some country place, where they are left to the care of a wet nurse.

Mengin, or Mangin, m. (familiar), political or literary charlatan. From the name of a celebrated quack, a familiar figure of crossways and squares in Paris under the Third Empire. He was attired in showy costume of the Middle Ages, and sported a glistening helmet topped by enormous plumes. He sold pencils, drew people’s caricatures at a moment’s notice, and was attended by an assistant known under the name of Vert-de-gris.

MÉnilmonte, or MÉnilmuche (popular), MÉnilmontant, formerly one of the suburbs of Paris. According to Zola, the word is curiously used in connection with the so-called sign of the cross of drunkards:—

Coupeau se leva pour faire le signe de croix des pochards. Sur la tÊte il prononÇa Montpernasse, À l’Épaule droite MÉnilmonte, À l’Épaule gauche la Courtille, au milieu du ventre Bagnolet, et dans le creux de l’estomac trois fois Lapin sautÉ.—L’Assommoir.

Menouille, f. (popular), money, or change.

Menteuse, f. (thieves’), tongue, or “prating cheat.” Termed also “le chiffon rouge, la battante, la diligence de Rome, rouscaillante.”

Menu. See ConnaÎtre.

Menuisier. See CÔtelette.

MenuisiÈre, f. (popular), long coat.

MÉquard, or mÉgard, m. (thieves’), head of a gang, or “dimber damber.” From mec, master, chief.

MÉquer (thieves’), to command. From meq, meg, chief, head of gang, or “dimber damber.”

Mercadet, m. (familiar), man who sets on foot bubble companies, swindling agencies, and other fishy concerns. A character of Balzac.

Mercandier, m. (popular), butcher who retails only meat of inferior quality.

Mercanti, m., name given by the army in Africa to traders, generally thievish Jews.

Cependant les mercantis, dÉbitants d’absinthe empoisonnÉe et de vins frelatÉs, escrocs, banqueroutiers, repris de justice, marchands de tout acabit.—Hector France, Sous le Burnous.

Merdaillon, m. (popular), contemptible man, or “snot.”

Merde, f. (thieves’), de pie, fifty-centime piece. (Popular) Faire sa ——, to give oneself airs, to look “botty.” Des Écrase ——, fashionable boots, as now worn, with large low heels. Termed also “bottines À la mouget.”

Merdeux, m. (popular), scavenger employed to empty cesspools, “gold-finder;” despicable mean fellow, “snot.”

MÈre, f. (popular), abbesse, mistress of a brothel; —— de petite fille, bottle of wine; —— d’occase, procuress who plays the part of a young prostitute’s mother, or a beggar who goes about with hired children; —— aux anges, woman who gives shelter to forsaken children, and hires them out to mendicants; (thieves’) —— au bleu, guillotine. See Voyante. (Corporations’) MÈre, innkeeper, where “compagnons,” or skilled artisans of a corporation, hold their meetings. The compagnons used to individually visit all the towns of France, working at each place, and the long journey was termed “tour de France.”

MÉrinos, m. (popular), man with an offensive breath. Manger du ——, to play billiards, or “spoof.”

Merlander (popular), to dress the hair. From merlan, popular expression for hairdresser.

Merlifiche, m. (thieves’), mountebank, showman. Probably from “merlificque,” used by Villon with the signification of marvellous.

Merlin, m. (popular), leg, “pin.” Un coup de passif dans le ——, a kick on the shin.

Merlou. See Marlou.

Merlousier, merlousiÈre, adj. (thieves’), cunning. La dabuche est merlousiÈre, the lady is cunning.

Merluche, f. (popular), pousser des cris de ——, to squall; to scold vehemently.

MerriflautÉ, adj. (thieves’), warmly clad.

MÉruchÉ, f., mÉruchon, m. (thieves’), stove, frying-pan.

MÉruchÉe, f. (thieves’), stoveful.

Merveilleux, m. (familiar), dandy of 1833. See Gommeux.

A l’avant-scÈne se prÉlassait un jeune merveilleux agitant avec nonchalance un binocle d’or ÉmaillÉ.—Th. Gautier.

The Slang Dictionary includes the word “dandy” among slang expressions. It says: “Dandy, a fop, or fashionable nondescript. This word, in the sense of a fop, is of modern origin. Egan says it was first used in 1820, and Bee in 1816. Johnson does not mention it, although it is to be found in all late dictionaries. Dandies wore stays, studied a feminine style, and tried to undo their manhood by all manner of affectations which were not actually immoral. Lord Petersham headed them. At the present day dandies of this stamp have almost entirely disappeared, but the new school of muscular Christians is not altogether faultless. The feminine of dandy was dandizette, but the term only lived for a short season.”

MÉsigo, mÉziÈre, mÉzigue, (thieves’), I, me, “dis child,” as the negroes say; —— roulait le trimard, I was tramping along the road.

Messe, f. (popular), Être À la ——, to be late. Nous avons ÉtÉ À la —— de cinq minutes, we were five minutes late. (Thieves’) La —— du diable, examination of a prisoner by a magistrate, or trial, an ordeal the unpleasant nature of which is eloquently expressed by the words. Termed by English rogues “cross kidment.”

Messiadien, adj. and m. (thieves’), convicted, sentenced, “booked.” The epithet is applied to one who has been compelled to attend “la messe du diable,” with unpleasant consequences to himself. Il est —— À six bergarÈs plombes, he is in for six years’ prison, “put away” for “six stretches;” —— pour pÉgrasse, convicted for stealing, “in for a vamp.” Il fagaut ta magnette blague de maniagnÈre que tu n’es paga les pindesse dans le dintesse pour pÉgrasse, autrement tu es messiadien et tu laveragas tes pieds d’agnet dans le grand prÉ, which signifies, in the thieves’ jargon of the day, You must take an alias, so that you may escape the clutches of the police; if not, you will be convicted and transported.

Messier, or messiÈre, m. (thieves’), man; inhabitant. A form of mÉziÈre, a fool. Les messiers de cambrouse, the country folk, or “clods.”

MessiÈre, m. (thieves’), man; victim; —— de la haute, well-to-do man, “nib cove, or gentry cove;” —— franc, citizen; individual, or “cove.”

Messire Luc, m. (familiar), breech, or “Nancy.” See Vasistas.

Mesure, f. (popular), prendre la —— des cÔtes, to thrash, “to wollop.”

MÉthode ChevÉ, f. (familiar and popular), playing billiards in an out-of-the-way fashion—with two cues, for instance, or by pushing the balls with the hand.

MÉtier, m. (artists’), skill in execution; clever touch. Avoir un —— d’enfer, to paint with great manual skill.

MÈtre, m. (familiar and popular), chevalier du ——, shopman, “counter-jumper, or knight of the yard.”

Metteux, m. (printers’), metteur en pages, or maker-up.

Mettre (general), au clou, to pawn, “to put in lug,” or “to pop up the spout.” An allusion to the spout up which the brokers send the ticketed articles until such time as they shall be redeemed. The spout runs from the ground-floor to the wareroom at the top of the house. English thieves term pawning one’s clothes, “to sweat one’s duds.” Le ——, is explained by the following:—

Mot libre, pour chevaucher, faire le dÉduit, se divertir avec une femme. Ce mot est Équivoque et malicieux, car une personne laisse-t-elle tomber son busque ou son gant? On dit, Mademoiselle, voulez-vous que je vous le mette?—Le Roux, Dict. Comique.

Termed, in the language of the Paris roughs, “mettre en prison.” Mets Ça dans ta poche et ton mouchoir par dessus, said of a blow or repartee, and equivalent to, take that and think over it, or digest it, or let it be a warning to you, “put that in your pipe and smoke it.” Mettre À l’ombre, or dedans, to imprison, “to give the clinch.” See Piper. Mettre À l’ombre signifies also to kill, “to cook one’s goose;” —— du pain dans le sac de quelqu’un, to beat one, or to kill him; —— dans le mille, to be successful, to have a piece of good luck, or “regular crow;” to hit the right nail on the head.

D’abord en passant, faut y’ rÉgler son affaire À mon aminche eul’ zig Gramont d’ l’Intransigeant, qu’a mis dans l’mille en disant qu’ eul’ ThÉÂtre de Paris sera naturaliste ou qu’i ne sera pas.—Trublot, Cri du Peuple.

Mettre quelqu’un dedans, to deceive, to cheat one, to outwit, “to take a rise out of a person.”

A metaphor from fly-fishing, the silly fish rising to be caught by an artificial fly.—Slang Dictionary.

Le —— À quelqu’un, to deceive one, “to bamboozle” one.

Du reste, c’est un flanche, vous voulez me le mettre ... je la connais.—V. Hugo.

(Popular) Mettre la tÊte À la fenÊtre, to be guillotined. See FauchÉ. Mettre une pousse, to strike, to thrash, “to wallop;” —— À pied, to dismiss from one’s employment temporarily or permanently; —— quelqu’un dans la pommade, to beat one at a game; —— en bringue, to smash; —— des gants sur ses salsifis, to put gloves on; —— la table pour les asticots, to become food for the worms. See Pipe. Mettre sous presse, to pawn, to put “in lug.” Se —— sur les fonts de baptÊme, to get involved in some difficulty, to be in a fix, in a “hole.” (Theatrical) Se —— en rang d’oignons is said of actors who place themselves in a line in front of the foot-lights. Formerly mettre en rang d’oignons meant to admit one into a company on an equal standing with the others. (Thieves’) Mettre en dedans, to break open a door, “to strike a jigger;” —— la pogne dessus, to steal, “to nim.” From the old English nim, to take, says the Slang Dictionary. Motherwell, the Scotch poet, thought the old word nim (to snatch or pick up) was derived from nam, nam, the tiny words or cries of an infant when eating anything which pleases its little palate. A negro proverb has the word:—

Buckra man nam crab,

Crab nam buckra man.

Or, in the buckra man’s language,

White man eat (for steal) the crab,

And then crab eat the white man.

Shakespeare evidently had the word nim in his head when he portrayed Nym. Mettre une gamelle, to escape from prison. Se —— À table, to inform against one, “to blow the gaff,” “to nick.” See Grinchir.

En v’lÀ un malheur si la daronne et les frangines allaient se mettre À table.—Vidocq. (That’s a misfortune if the mother and the sisters inform.)

(Popular and thieves’) Se —— en bombe, to escape from prison.

Mon magistrat, ... nous nous sommes tirÉs pour faire la noce. Nous sommes en bombe! Nous n’avons plus de braise et nous venons nous rendre.—Un FlÂneur.

Mettre sur la planche au pain, to put a prisoner on his trial, “in for patter;” (military) —— le chien au cran de repos, to sleep; —— le moine, to fasten a cord to a sleeping man’s big toe, and to teaze him by occasionally jerking it; —— les tripes au soleil, to kill.

A force d’entendre des phrases comme celles-ci: crever la paillasse, mettre les tripes au soleil, taillader les cÔtes, brÛler les gueules, ouvrir la panse, je m’y Étais habituÉ et j’avais fini par les trouver toutes naturelles.—H. France, L’Homme qui Tue.

(Bullies’) Mettre un chamÈgue À l’alignement, to send a woman out to walk the streets as a prostitute.

Meuble, m. (popular), sorry-looking person.

Meubler (familiar), to pad.

Meudon, m. (thieves’), grand ——, police, the “reelers.”

Meulan. See Artie.

Meulard, m. (thieves’), calf. In old English cant “lowing cheat.”

Meules de moulin, f. pl. (popular), teeth, or “grinders.”

Meunier, m. (thieves’), receiver, or “fence.” Porter au moulin is to take stolen property to the receiver, “to fence the swag.”

Meurt-de-faim, m. (popular), penny loaf.

MÉziÈre, adj., pron., and m. (thieves’), simple-minded, gullible. Etre ——, to be a “cull or flat.” The word, says Michel, derives its origin from the confidence-trick swindle, when one of the confederates who acts the part of a foreigner, and who pretends to speak bad French, addresses the pigeon as “mÉziÈre” instead of “monsieur.”

Moi vouloir te faire de la peine! plutÔt Être gerbÉ À vioque (jugÉ À vie); faut Être bien mÉziÈre (nigaud) pour le supposer.—Vidocq.

MÉziÈre, I, me, myself. Le havre protÈge ——, God protect me. Un ——, a “flat,” name given by thieves to their victims.

Depuis que nous nous sommes remis À escarper les mÉziÈres, il ne nous en est pas tombÉ sous la poigne un aussi chouette que celui-ci.—Vidocq. (Since we began again to kill the flats, we haven’t had in our claws a single one as rich as that one.)

MÉzigue, mÉzigo (thieves’), I, myself.

Auquel cas, c’ serait pas long; mÉzigue sait c’ qu’y lui rest’rait À faire.—Trublot, Le Cri du Peuple.

Mib, or mibre, m. (street boys’), thing in which one excels; triumph. C’est mon ——, that’s just what I am a dab at. C’est ton ——, you’ll never do that; that beat’s you hollow.

Michaud, m. (thieves’), head, or “tibby, nob, or knowledge box.” Faire son ——, to sleep, “to doss.”

Miche, f. (popular and thieves’), lace, or “driz.” An allusion to the holes in a loaf of white bread. Miche, or —— de profonde, money. The term in this case exactly corresponds to the English “loaver.”

MichÉ, m. (general), client of a prostitute. Literally one who has “michon,” or money, who “forks out.”

Les filles isolÉes, soit en carte, soit insoumises ... ont, par contre, le dÉsagrÉment d’Éprouver souvent certains dÉboires. Le client n’est pas toujours un “michÉ” consciencieux.—LÉo Taxil.

Faire un ——, to find a client, or “flat.” Un —— de carton, client who does not pay well, or who does not pay at all. Un —— sÉrieux, one who pays.

Les femmes appellent “michÉs sÉrieux” les clients qui “montent” et “flanelles” ceux qui se contentent de “peloter” et de payer un petit verre.—LÉo Taxil.

Concerning the language of such women LÉo Taxil says:—“On a prÉtendu que toutes les prostituÉes de Paris avaient un argot ou un jargon qui leur Était particulier ... ceci n’est pas exact ... nous avons vu qu’elles dÉsignent le client sous le nom de ‘michÉ,’ le visiteur qui ne monte pas sous celui de ‘flanelle.’ Pour elles, les inspecteurs des moeurs sont des ‘rails,’ un commissaire de police un ‘flique,’ une jolie fille une ‘gironde’ ou une ‘chouette,’ une fille laide un ‘roubiou,’ etc. Ce sont lÀ des expressions qui font partie du langage des souteneurs qui, eux, possÈdent un vÉritable argot; elles en retiennent quelques mots et les mÊlent À leur conversation. Quant aux prostituÉes qui s’entendent avec les voleurs et qui n’ont recours au libertinage que pour cacher leur rÉelle industrie, il n’est pas Étonnant qu’elles aient adoptÉ le jargon de leurs suppÔts; mais on ne peut pas dire que ce langage soit celui des prostituÉes.” (Popular) MichÉ, fool. From Michel. It is to be remarked, after Montaigne, that many names of men have been taken to signify the word fool; such are Grand Colas, Jean-Jean, and formerly Gautier, Blaise. (Photographers’) MichÉ, client. (Familiar and popular) Un vieux ——, an old beau.

Tel, au printemps, un vieux michÉ

Parade en galante toilette.

Gill.

Michel, m. (fishermen’s), cassant ses oeufs, thunder. (Military) Ça fait la rue ——, it’s the same for everybody.

Eh bien, si j’y coups pas, v’lÀ tout, j’coucherai À la boÎte comme les camarades, et Ça fera la rue Michel.—G. Courteline.

Michelet, m. (popular), faire le ——, to feel about in a crowd of women, not exactly with righteous intentions.

Michet, michÉ, or micheton, m. (popular), client of a prostitute.

Elles tournent la tÊte et jetant sur ce type,

Par dessus leur Épaule, un regard curieux,

Songent: oh! si c’Était un michÉ sÉrieux!

Gill.

Michon, m. (thieves’), money which procures a miche, or a loaf, “loaver.” See Quibus.

C’est ce qui me fait ambier hors de cette vergne; car si je n’eusse eu du michon je fusse cÔni de faim.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.

Foncer du ——, to give money, “to grease the palm.”

Midi! (popular), too late! Il est ——, a warning to one to be on his guard; I don’t take that in! “not for Joe!” Il est —— sonnÉ, it’s not for you; it is impossible.

Faut pas te figurer comme Ça qu’ t’as l’droit de t’coller un bouc ... quand tu seras de la classe, comme me v’lÀ, Ça s’pourra; mais jusque-lÀ c’est midi sonnÉ.—G. Courteline.

Mie, f. (popular), de pain, louse, or “grey-backed ’un;” (printers’) thing of little value, or “not worth a curse.” Compositeur —— de pain, an unskilled compositor, or clumsy “donkey.”

Miel! (popular), euphemism for a coarser word, “go to pot!” “you be hanged!” C’est un ——, is expressive of satisfaction, or is used ironically. Of a good thing they say: “C’est un miel!” On entering a close, stuffy place: “C’est un miel!” Of a desperate street fight: “C’est un miel!” “a rare spree!” “what a lark!” (Delvau).

MiellÉ! adj. (popular), du sort, happy; fortunate in life.

Il n’Était pas plus miellÉ du sort, il n’avait pas la vie plus en belle.—Richepin, La Glu.

Mignard, m. (popular), term of endearment; child, or “kid.”

Mignon, m. (thieves’), mistress, or “mollisher.”

J’avais bonheur, argent, amour tranquille, les jours se suive mais ne se ressemble pas. Mon mignon connaissait l’anglais, l’allemand, trÈs bien le franÇais, l’auvergna et l’argot.—From a thief’s letter, quoted by L. Larchey.

(Popular and thieves’) Mignon de port (obsolete), porter. Mignon had formerly the signification of foolish, ignorant.

Mignoter (popular), to fondle, “to forkytoodle.”

Mikel, m. (mountebanks’), dupe, or “gulpin.”

Milieu, m. (popular), breech, or “Nancy.”

Millards, m. pl. (old cant), in olden times a variety of the cadger tribe.

Millards sont ceux qui trollent sur leur andosse de gros gueulards; ils truchent plus aux champs qu’aux vergnes, et sont haÏs des autres argotiers, parce qu’ils morfient ce qu’ils ont tout seuls.—Le Jargon de l’Argot. (The “millards” are those who carry a large bag on their back; they beg in the country in preference to the towns, and are hated by their brethren because they eat all alone what they get.)

Mille, m. and f. (familiar), mettre dans le ——, to meet with a piece of good luck, or “regular crow;” to be successful. One often sees at fairs a kind of machine for testing physical strength. A pad is struck with the fist, and a needle marks the extent of the effort, “le mille” being the maximum. (Thieves’) Mille, woman, or “burrick” (obsolete).

Mille-langues, m. (popular), talkative person; tatler.

Mille-pertuis, m. (thieves’), watering pot (obsolete).

Millerie, f. (thieves’), lottery. Thus termed on account of the thousands which every holder of a ticket hopes will be his.

Millet, millot, m. (popular), 1,000 franc bank-note. From mille.

Milliardaire, m. (familiar), very rich man, one who rolls on gold.

C’est de cette Époque que date aujourd’hui sa fortune car il est aujourd’hui milliardaire.—A. Sirven.

Millour, m. (thieves’), rich man, “rag splawger” (obsolete). From the English my lord.

Milord, m. (familiar and popular), rich man; —— l’Arsouille, nickname of Lord Seymour. See Arsouille.

Les Folies-Belleville ... oÙ Milord l’Arsouille engueulait les malins, cassait la vaisselle et boxait les garÇons.—P. Mahalin.

Mince, m. and adv. (thieves’), note-paper; bank-note, or “soft.” (Popular) The word has many significations: it means, of course; certainly; much.

Dois-tu comme Walder,

Et comme la muscade,

Te donner mince d’air

AprÈs ton escapade?

Raminagrobis.

Mince! no; certainly not. It is sometimes expressive of disappointment or contempt. Tu n’as plus d’argent? ah! —— alors, you have no money? hang it all then! Il a —— la barbe, he is completely drunk. Pensez si je me marre, ah! ——! don’t I get amused, just! Aux plus rupins il disait ——, even to the strongest he said, “you be hanged! “Mince de potin! a fine row! —— de crampon! an awful bore! —— que j’en ai de l’argent! haven’t I money? of course I have! Ah! —— alors! to the deuce, then! Mince de chic, glass of beer. The ejaculation mince! in some cases may find an equivalent in the English word rather! an exclamation strongly affirmative. It is also used as an euphemism for an obscene word.

Et moi sauciss’, j’su quand j’turbine.

Mais, bon sang! la danse s’dÉbine

Dans l’coulant d’air qui boit ma sueur.

Eux aut’s, c’est pompÉ par leur linge.

Minc’ qu’ils doiv’ emboucanner l’singe.

Vrai, c’est pas l’linge qui fait l’bonheur.

Richepin.

Mine, f. (popular), À poivre, low brandy shop.

Lui Était un bon, un chouette, un d’attaque. Ah! zut! le singe pouvait se fouiller, il ne retournait pas À la boÎte, il avait la flemme. Et il proposait aux deux camarades d’aller au Petit bonhomme qui tousse, une mine À poivre de la barriÈre Saint-Denis, oÙ l’on buvait du chien tout pur.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

Une —— À chier dessus, ugly face, “knocker face.”

Qu’est-ce qu’il vient nous em ... ieller, celui-lÀ, avec sa mine À chier dessus.—Rigaud.

Minerve, f. (printers’), small printing machine worked with the foot.

Minerviste, m. (printers’), one who works the Minerve (which see).

Mineur, m. (thieves’), Manceau, or native of Le Mans.

Minik (Breton cant), small.

Ministre (military), sumpter mule; (peasants’) ass, “moke,” or mule.

Minois, m. (thieves’), nose, or “conk” (obsolete).

Minotaure, m. (familiar), deceived husband, “stag face.” The expression is Balzac’s.

Je serais le dernier de M. Paul de Kock; minotaure, comme dit M. de Balzac.—Th. Gautier.

Minotauriser quelqu’un (familiar), to seduce one’s wife. An allusion to the horns of the Minotaur.

Quand une femme est inconsÉquente, le mari, serait, selon moi, minotaurisÉ—Balzac.

Minson (Breton cant), bad; badly.

Minsoner (Breton cant), mean.

Mintzingue, m. (popular), landlord of wine-shop.

Minuit, m. (thieves’), negro. Termed also, in different kinds of slang, “Bamboula, boule de neige, boÎte À cirage, bille de pot-au-feu, mal blanchi,” and in the English slang, “snowball, Sambo, bit o’ ebony, blacky.” Enfant de —— meant formerly thief. Enfants de la messe de minuit, says Cotgrave, “quiresters of midnights masse; night-walking rakehells, or such as haunt these nightly rites, not for any devotion, but only to rob, abuse, or play the knaves with others.”

Minzingue, or minzingo, m. (popular), landlord of tavern. Termed also manzinguin, mindzingue.

La philosophie, vil mindzingue, quand Ça ne servirait qu’À trouver ton vin bon.—GrÉvin.

Mion, m. (thieves’), child, or “kid;” —— de gonesse, stripling; —— de boule, thief, “prig.” See Grinche.

Mipe, m. (thieves’), faire un —— À quelqu’un, to outdrink one.

Miradou, m. (thieves’), mirror.

Mirancu, m. (obsolete), apothecary.

Respect au capitaine Mirancu! Qu’il aille se coucher ailleurs, car s’il s’avisoit de jouer de la seringue, nous n’avons pas de canesons pour l’en empÊcher.—L’Apothicaire empoisonnÉ, 1671.

Mirancu, a play on the words mire en cul, which may be better explained in BÉralde’s words, in MoliÈre’s Le Malade Imaginaire:—

Allez, monsieur; on voit bien que vous n’avez pas accoutumÉ de parler À des visages.

Mirecourt, m. (thieves’), violin. The town of Mirecourt is celebrated for its manufactures of stringed instruments. Rigaud says that it is thus termed from a play on the words mire court, look on from a short distance, the head of the performer being bent over the instrument, thus bringing his eyes close to it.

Mire-laid, m. (popular), mirror. An expression which cannot be gratifying to those too fond of admiring their own countenances in the glass.

Mirettes, f. pl. (popular and thieves’), eyes, “peepers, ogles, top-lights, or day-lights.” Fielding uses the latter slang term:—

Good woman! I do not use to be so treated. If the lady says such another word to me, damn me, I will darken her day-lights.—Fielding, Amelia.

In old cant eyes were termed “glaziers.”

Which means look out with all your eyes, I swear by the devil a magistrate is coming. Mirettes en caoutchouc, or en caouche, telescope; —— glacÉes, or en glacis, spectacles, or “gig-lamps.” Sans ——, blind, or “hoodman.”

Mireur, m. (popular), one who looks on intently; spy; person employed in the immense underground store cellars of the Halles to inspect provisions by candle-light.

Deux cents becs de gaz Éclairent ces caves gigantesques, oÙ l’on rencontre diverses industries spÉciales. ... Les “mireurs,” qui passent À la chandelle une dÉlicate rÉvision des sujets. Les “prÉparateurs de fromages” qui font “jaunir” le chester, “pleurer” le gruyÈre, “couler” le brie ou “piquer” le roquefort.—E. FrÉbault.

Mirliflore, m. (familiar), a dandy of the beginning of the present century. For synonyms see Gommeux. The term has now passed into the language with the signification of silly conceited dandy or fop.

Concerning the derivation of this word LittrÉ makes the following remarks: “Il y avait dans l’ancien franÇais mirlifique, altÉration de mirifique; on peut penser que mirliflore est une altÉration analogue oÙ flor ou fleur remplace fique: qui est comme une fleur merveilleuse. Francisque Michel y voit une altÉration de mille-fleurs, dÉnomination prise des bouquets dont se paraient les ÉlÉgants du temps passÉ.” It is more probable, however, that the term is connected with eau de mille-fleurs, an elixir of all flowers, a mixed perfume, and this origin seems to be borne out by the circumstance that after the Revolution of 1793 dandies received the name of “muscadins,” from musc, or musk, their favourite perfume. Workmen sometimes call a dandy “un puant.” See this word.

Mirliton, m. (popular), nose, or “smeller.” For synonyms see Morviau. Also voice. Avoir le —— bouchÉ, to have a bad cold in the head. Jouer du ——, to talk, “to jaw;” to blow one’s nose. Mirliton properly signifies a kind of reed-pipe.

Mirobolamment (familiar and popular), marvellously, “stunningly.”

Mirobolant, adj. (familiar and popular), excellent, “slap-up, or scrumptious;” marvellous, “crushing.”

Eh! c’est la bande! c’est la fameuse, la superbe, l’invincible, À jamais triomphante, sÉduisante et mirobolante bande du Jura.—Bande du Jura. Madame de Gasparin.

“Mirobolant” is a corruption of admirable. Another instance of this kind of slang formation is “abalobÉ,” from abalourdi.

Miroir, m. (card-sharpers’), a rapid glance cast on the stock of a game of piquet, or on the first cards dealt at the game of baccarat. A tricky “dodge” which enables the cheat to gain a knowledge of his opponent’s hand. (Popular) Un —— À putains, synonymous of bellÂtre, a handsome but vulgar man, one likely to find favour with the frail sisterhood. Rigaud says: “Miroir À putains, joli visage d’homme À la maniÈre des tÊtes exposÉes À la vitrine des coiffeurs.” The phrase is old.

Fielding thus expatiates on the readiness of women to look with more favour on a handsome face than on an intellectual one:—

How we must lament that disposition in these lovely creatures which leads them to prefer in their favour those individuals of the other sex who do not seem intended by nature as so great a masterpiece!... If this be true, how melancholy must be the consideration that any single beau, especially if he have but half a yard of ribbon in his hat, shall weigh heavier in the scale of female affection than twenty Sir Isaac Newtons!—Mr. Jonathan Wild the Great.

Mirquin, m. (thieves’), woman’s cap.

Mirzales, f. pl. (thieves’), earrings.

Mise, f. (prostitutes’), faire sa ——, to pay a prostitute her fee, or “present.” (Popular) Mise À pied, temporary or permanent dismissal from one’s employment, the “sack.”

Mise-bas, f. (popular) strike of work; (servants’) cast-off clothes which servants consider as their perquisites.

Miser (gamesters’), to stake.

Et si je gagne ce soir cinq À six mille francs au lansquenet, qu’est-ce que soixante-dix mille francs de perte pour avoir de quoi miser?—Balzac.

MisÉrable, m. (popular), one halfpenny glass of spirits, “un monsieur” being one that will cost four sous, and “un poisson” five sous.

Misloque, or mislocq, f. (thieves’), theatre; play. Flancher, or jouer la ——, to act.

Ah! ce que je veux faire, je veux jouer la mislocq.—Vidocq.

Misloquier, m., misloquiÈre, f. (thieves’), actor, “cackling cove,” or “mug faker,” and actress.

Mississipi, m. (popular), au ——, very far away.

MistenflÛte, f. (popular), thingumbob.

Mistiche (thieves’), un ——, half a “setier,” or small measure of wine. Une ——, half an hour.

Mistick, m. (thieves’), foreign thief.

Mistigris, or misti, m. (popular), knave of clubs; apprentice to a house decorator.

Miston (thieves’). See Allumer. (Popular) Mon ——, my boy, “my bloater.”

Mistouf, or mistouffle, f. (popular), practical joke; scurvy trick. Faire une —— À quelqu’un, to pain, to annoy one.

Vous lui aurez fait quelque mistouf, vous l’aurez menacÉe de quelque punition, et alors.—A. Cim, Institution de Demoiselles.

Coup de ——, scurvy trick brewing. Faire des mistouffles, to teaze, “to spur,” to annoy one. (Thieves’) Mistouffle À la saignante, trap laid for the purpose of murdering one.

VoilÀ trop longtemps ... que le vieux me la fait au porte-monnaie. Il me faut son sac. Mais ... pas de mistouffle À la saignante, je n’aime pas Ça. Du barbotage tant qu’on voudra.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Mistron, m. (popular), a game of cards called “trente et un.”

Mistronneur, m. (popular), amateur of “mistron” (which see).

Mitaine, f. (thieves’), grinchisseuse À la ——, female thief who causes some property, lace generally, to fall from a shop counter, and by certain motions of her foot conveys it to her shoe, where it remains secreted.

Mitard, m. (police), unruly prisoner confined in a punishment cell.

Mite-au-logis, f. (popular), disease of the eyes. A play on the words mite and mythologie.

Miteux, adj. (familiar and popular), is said of one poorly clad, of a wretched-looking person.

Quand nous arrivÂmes À la posada, on ne voulut pas nous recevoir, l’aubergiste nous trouvant, comme disait La MartiniÈre mon compagnon de route, trop “miteux.”—Hector France, A travers l’Espagne.

Mitraille, f. (general), pence, coppers. The expression is old. This term seems to be derived from the word “mite,” copper coin worth four “oboles,” used in Flanders.

Mitrailleuse, f. (popular), Étouffer une ——, to drink a glass of wine. Synonymous of “boire un canon.”

Mitre, f. (thieves’), prison, or “stir. See Motte. Meant formerly itch, the word being derived from the name of a certain ointment termed “mithridate.”

Mobilier, m. (thieves’), teeth, or “ivories.” Literally furniture.

Moblot, m. (familiar), used for Mobile in 1870. “La garde mobile” at the beginning of the war formed the reserve corps.

Mocassin, m. (popular), shoe. See Ripaton.

Moc-aux-beaux (thieves’), quarter of La Place Maubert.

Moche, or mouche, adj. (popular and thieves’), bad.

Mode, f. (swindlers’), concierge À la ——, a doorkeeper who is an accomplice of a gang of swindlers termed Bande noire (which see).

La “bande noire” Était—et est encore, car le dixiÈme À peine des membres sont arrÊtÉs—une formidable association, ayant pour spÉcialitÉ d’exploiter le commerce des vins de Paris, de la Bourgogne et du Bordelais.... Pour chaque affaire, le courtier recevait dix francs. Le concierge, dÉsignÉ sous le nom bizarre de concierge À la mode, n’Était pas moins bien rÉtribuÉ. Il touchait dix francs Également.—Le Voltaire, 6 AoÛt, 1886.

ModÈle, m. (familiar), grandfather or grandmother.

Moderne, m. (familiar), young man of the “period,” in opposition to antique, old-fashioned.

Modillon, f. (modistes’), a second year apprentice at a modiste’s.

Modiste, m. (literary), formerly a journalist who sought more to pander to the tastes of the day than to acquire any literary reputation.

Moelleux, m. (popular), cotton, which is soft.

Moelonneuse, f. (popular), prostitute who frequents builders’ yards. See Gadoue.

Moignons, m. pl. (popular), thick clumsy ankles. The Slang Dictionary says a girl with thick ankles is called a “Mullingar heifer” by the Irish. A story goes that a traveller passing through Mullingar was so struck with this local peculiarity in the women, that he determined to accost the next one he met. “May I ask,” said he, “if you wear hay in your shoes?” “Faith, an’ I do,” said the girl, “and what then?” “Because,” said the traveller, “that accounts for the calves of your legs coming down to feed on it.”

Moine, m. (familiar), earthen jar filled with hot water, which does duty for a warming pan; (printers’) spot on a forme which has not been touched by the roller, and which in consequence forms a blank on the printed leaf. Termed “friar” by English printers. (Popular) Mettre le ——, to fasten a string to a sleeping man’s big toe. By jerking the string now and then the sleeper’s slumbers are disturbed and great amusement afforded to the authors of the contrivance. This sort of practical joking seems to be in favour in barrack-rooms. Donner, or bailler le ——, was synonymous of mettre le ——, and, used as a proverbial expression, meant to bear ill luck.

Moine-lai, m. (popular), old military pensioner who has become an imbecile.

Moinette, f. (thieves’), nun, moine being a monk.

MoÏse, m. (familiar and popular), man deceived by his wife. The term is old, for, says Le Roux, “MoÏse, mot satirique, qui signifie cocu, homme À qui on a plantÉ des cornes.”

MoitiÉ, f. (popular), tu n’es pas la —— d’une bÊte, you are no fool.

Oui, t’es pas la moitiÉ d’une bÊte. LÀ-dessus aboule tes quatre ronds.—G. Courteline.

Molanche, f. (thieves’), wool. From mol, soft.

Molard, m. (familiar and popular), expectoration, or “gob.”

Molarder (familiar and popular), to expectorate.

MoliÈre, m. (theatrical), scenery which may be used for the performance of any play of MoliÈre.

Molle, adj. (popular and thieves’), Être ——, to be penniless, alluding to an empty pocket, which is flabby; “to be hard up.”

Mollet, m. (popular). M. Charles Nisard, in his Parisianismes Populaires, says of the word, “Gras de la partie postÉrieure de la jambe” (the proper meaning), and he adds, “Partie molle de diverses autres choses.”

Vous ne cachez pas tous vos mollets dans vos bas: c’est comme la barque d’AniÈres, Ça n’sart plus qu’À passer l’iau.—Le DÉjeuner de la RapÉe.

Following the adage, “Le latin dans les mots brave l’honnÊtetÉ,” M. Nisard gives the following explanation of the above:—“HÆc sunt verba cujusdam petulantis mulierculÆ ad quemdam jam senescentem virum, convalescentem e morbo, et carnale opus adhuc penes se esse male jactantem. In eo enim Thrasone mulieroso pars ista corporis quam proprie vocant ‘Mollet,’ non solum in tibialibus ejus inclusa erat, sed et in bracis, ubi, mutata ex toto forma, nil valebat nisi, scaphÆ AsnieriÆ instar, ‘À passer l’eau,’ id est, ad meiendum. Sed, animadvertas, oro, sensum locutionis ‘passer l’eau’ Æquivocum; hic enim unda transitur, illic eadem transit.”

Mollusque, m. (familiar), narrow-minded man; routine-loving man; huÎtre being a common term for a fool.

Momaque, m. (thieves’), child, or “kid.”

Momard, or momignard, m. (popular), child, or “kid.”

MÔme, m. and f. (popular and thieves’), child, or “kid.”

MÔme noir, student at a priest’s seminary. Thus termed on account of their clerical attire. Called also by thieves, “Canneur du mec des mecs,” afraid of God. Une ——, young woman, “titter.”

Une ——, or mÔmeresse, mistress, “blowen.” C’est ma ——, elle est ronflante ce soir, It is my girl, she has money to-night. Un —— d’altÈque, handsome young man. Taper un ——, to commit a theft; to commit infanticide.

Car elle est en prison pour un mÔme qu’elle a tapÉ.—From a thief’s letter, quoted by L. Larchey.

Madame Tire-mÔmes, midwife. Termed in the seventeenth century, “madame du guichet, or portiÈre du petit guichet.” (Convicts’) MÔme bastaud, convict who is a Sodomist, a kind of male prostitute.

MÔmeuse, f. See MÔmiÈre.

Momicharde, f. (popular), little girl.

Envoie les petites ... qu’elles aboulent, les momichardes!—Louise Michel.

MÔmiÈre, f. (thieves’), midwife. Termed also “Madame Tire-mÔmes, Madame Tire-monde, or tÂte-minette.”

Momignard, m. (popular and thieves’), child, or “kid;” baby; —— d’altÈque, a fine child.

Frangine d’altÈque, je mets l’arguemine À la barbue, pour te bonnir que ma largue aboule de mÔmir un momignard d’altÈque.—Vidocq. (My good sister, I take the pen to say that my wife has just given birth to a fine child.)

Momignardage À l’anglaise, m. (popular), miscarriage.

Momignarde, f. (popular and thieves’), little girl; young girl, “titter.”

Mes momignardes ... allons, c’est dit, on rebÂtira le sinve. Il faut espÉrer que la daronne du grand Aure nous protÉgera.—Vidocq. (My little girls ... come, it’s settled, the fool shall be killed. Let us hope the Holy Virgin will protect us.)

MÔmir (popular and thieves’), to be delivered of a child, “to be in the straw.” The Slang Dictionary says: “Married ladies are said to be in the straw at their accouchement.” The phrase is a coarse metaphor, and has reference to farmyard animals in a similar condition. It may have originally been suggested to the inquiring mind by the Nativity. MÔmir pour l’aff, to have a miscarriage. Termed also “casser son oeuf, dÉcarrer de crac.”

Monacos, m. pl. (familiar and popular), money. See Quibus.

Je vais te prouver À toi et À ta grue, ... que je suis encore bonne pour gagner des monacos. Et allez-y!—Hector France, Marie Queue-de-Vache.

Avoir des ——, to be wealthy. Termed also “Être foncÉ, Être sacquard, or douillard; avoir le sac, de l’os, des sous, du foin dans ses bottes, de quoi, des pÉpettes, or de la thune; Être californien.” The English synonyms being “to be worth a plum, to be well ballasted, to be a rag-splawger, to have lots of tin, to have feathered one’s nest, to be warm, to be comfortable.” Abouler les ——, to pay, “to fork out, to shell out, to down with the dust, to post the pony, to stump the pewter, to tip the brads.”

Monant, m., monante, f. (thieves’), friend.

Monarque, m. (popular), five-franc piece. Termed also “roue de derriÈre,” the nearly corresponding coin, a crown piece, being called in English slang a “hind coach wheel.” (Prostitutes’) Monarque, money. Faire son ——, to have found clients.

Monde, m. (popular), renversÉ, guillotine. See Voyante. Il y a du —— au balcon is said of a woman with large breasts, of one with opulent “Charlies.” (Familiar) Demi ——, world of cocottes, kept women.

Dans ce qu’on appelle le demi-monde il y a nombre de filles en carte, vÉritables chevaliers d’industrie de la jeunesse et de l’amour qui, bien en rÈgle avec la prÉfecture, mÈnent joyeuse vie pendant quinze ans et Éludent constamment la police correctionnelle.—LÉo Taxil.

(Showmen’s) Du ——, public who enter the show. There may be a large concourse of people outside, but no “monde.”

Monfier (thieves’), to kiss.

Mon gniasse (popular and thieves’), me, “my nibs.”

Mon linge est lavÉ (popular), I give in, “I throw up the sponge.”

Monnaie, f. (popular), plus que Ça de ——! what luck!

Mon oeil! (popular), expressive of refusal or disbelief, “don’t you wish you may get it?” or “do you see any green in my eye?” See NÈfles.

MonÔme, m. (students’), yearly procession in single file through certain streets of Paris of candidates to the government schools.

Monorgue (thieves’), I, myself.

Monseigneur, m. (thieves’), or pince ——, short crowbar with which housebreakers force open doors or safes. Termed “Jemmy, James, or the stick.”

Ils font sauter gÂches et serrures ... avec une espÈce de pied de biche en fer qu’ils appellent cadet, monseigneur, ou plume.—Canler.

Monseigneuriser (thieves’), to force open a door, “to strike a jigger.”

Monsieur, m. (artists’), le ——, the principal figure in a picture. (Popular) Un ——, a twopenny glass of brandy; a five-sous glass of wine from the bottle at a wine retailer’s; —— Vautour, or PÈre Vautour, the landlord; also an usurer.

Vous accorder un nouveau dÉlai pour le capital? ... mais depuis trois ans ... vous n’avez pas seulement pu rattraper les intÉrÊts.—Ah! pÈre Vautour, Ça court si vite vos intÉrÊts!—Gavarni.

Monsieur À tubard, a well-dressed man, one who sports a silk hat; —— bambou, a stick, a gentleman whose services are sometimes put in requisition by drunken workmen as an irresistible argument to meet the remonstrances of an unfortunate better half, as in the case of Martine and Sganarelle in MoliÈre’s Le MÉdecin malgrÉ lui; —— Lebon, a good sort of man, that is, one who readily treats others to drink; —— de PÈtesec, stuck-up man, with dry, sharp manner; —— hardi, the wind; —— Raidillon, or Pointu, proud, stuck-up man; (thieves’) —— de l’Affure, one who wins money at a game honestly or not; —— de la Paume, he who loses; (theatrical) —— Dufour est dans la salle, expression used by an actor to warn another that he is not acting up to the mark and that he will get himself hissed, or “get the big bird.” (Familiar and popular) Un —— À rouflaquettes, prostitutes bully, or “pensioner.” For list of synonyms see Poisson. Monsieur de Paris, the executioner. Formerly each large town had its own executioner: Monsieur de Rouen, Monsieur de Lyon, &c. Concerning the office Balzac says:—

Les Sanson, bourreaux À Rouen pendant deux siÈcles, avant d’Être revÊtus de la premiÈre charge du royaume, exÉcutaient de pÈre en fils les arrÊts de la justice depuis le treiziÈme siÈcle. Il est peu de familles qui puissent offrir l’exemple d’un office ou d’une noblesse conservÉe de pÈre en fils pendant six siÈcles.

Monsieur personne, a nobody. (Brothels’) Monsieur, husband of the mistress of a brothel.

Monsieur, avec son Épaisse barbiche aux poils tors et gris.—E. de Goncourt, La Fille Elisa.

(Cads’) Monsieur le carreau dans l’oeil, derisive epithet applied to a man with an eye-glass; —— bas-du-cul, man with short legs.

Monstre, m., any words which a musician temporarily adapts to a musical production composed by him.

Monstrico, m. (familiar), ugly person, one with a “knocker face.”

Montage de coup, m. (popular), the act of seeking to deceive by misleading statements.

Montagnard, m. (popular), additional horse put on to an omnibus going up hill.

Montagne du gÉant, f. (obsolete), gallows, “scrag, nobbing cheat, or government signpost.”

Montant, m. and adj. (thieves’), breeches, “trucks, hams, sit-upons, or kicks.” (Military) Grand —— tropical, riding breeches; petit ——, drawers. (Familiar) Montant, term which is used to denote anything which excites lust.

Montante, f. (thieves’), ladder. Literally a thing to climb up.

Monte-À-regret (thieves’), abbaye de ——, the guillotine. Formerly the gallows. This name was given the scaffold because criminals were attended there by one or more priests, and on account of the natural repugnance of a man for this mode of being put out of his misery. Michel records the fact, that at Sens, one of the streets leading to the market-place, where executions took place, still bore, a few years ago, the name of Monte-À-regret. Chanoine de ——, one sentenced to death. Termed also “grognon,” or grumbler. Monter À l’abbaye de ——, to be guillotined, meant formerly to be hanged, to suffer the extreme penalty of the law on “wry-neck day,” when the criminal before being compelled to put on the “hempen cravat,” would perhaps utter for the edification of the crowd his “tops, or croaks,” that is, his last dying speech. It is curious to note how people of all nations have always striven to disguise the idea of death by the rope by means of some picturesque or grimly comical circumlocution. The popular language is rich in metaphors to describe the act. In the thirteenth century people would express hanging by the term “mettre À la bise;” in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries an executed criminal was spoken of as “vendangeant À l’eschelle, avoir collet rouge, croÎtre d’un demi-pied, faire la longue lettre, tomber du haut mal,” and later on: “Servir de bouchon, faire le saut, faire un saut sur rien, donner un soufflet À une potence, donner le moine par le cou, approcher du ciel À reculons, danser un branle en l’air, avoir la chanterelle au cou, faire le guet À Montfaucon, faire le guet au clair de la lune À la cour des monnoyes.” Also, “monter À la jambe en l’air.” Then a hanged man was “un ÉvÊque des champs” (on account of executions taking place in the open country) “qui bÉnit des pieds,” and hanging itself, “une danse oÙ il n’y a pas de plancher,” which corresponds to the expression, “to dance upon nothing.” The poor wretch was also said to be “branchÉ,” a summary proceeding performed on the nearest tree, and he was made to “tirer la langue d’un demi-pied.” The poet FranÇois Villon being in the prison of the ChÂtelet in 1457, under sentence of death for a robbery supposed to have been committed at Rueil by himself and some companions, several of whom were hanged, but whose fate he luckily did not share, thus alludes with grim humour to his probable execution:—

When Jonathan Wild the Great is about to expiate his numerous crimes, and his career is soon to be terminated at Tyburn, Fielding makes him say: “D—n me, it is only a dance without music; ... a man can die but once.... Zounds! Who’s afraid?” Master Charley Bates, in common with his “pals,” called hanging “scragging”:—

“He’ll come to be scragged, won’t he?” “I don’t know what that means,” replied Oliver. “Something in this way, old feller,” said Charley. As he said it, Master Bates caught up an end of his neckerchief, and holding it erect in the air, dropped his head on his shoulder, and jerked a curious sound through his teeth; thereby intimating, by a lively pantomimic representation, that “scragging” and hanging were one and the same thing.—Dickens, Oliver Twist.

The expression is also to be met with in Lord Lytton’s Paul Clifford:—

“Blow me tight, but that cove is a queer one! and if he does not come to be scragged,” says I, “it will only be because he’ll turn a rusty, and scrag one of his pals!”

Again, the same author puts in the mouth of his hero, Paul Clifford, the accomplished robber, the “Captain Crank,” or chief of a gang of highwaymen, a poetical simile, “to leap from a leafless tree”:—

Penny-a-liners nowadays describe the executed felon as “taking a leap into eternity;” facetious people say that he dies in a “horse’s nightcap,” i.e., a halter, and the vulgar simply declare that he is “stretched.” The dangerous classes, to express that one is being operated upon by Jack Ketch, use the term “to be scragged,” already mentioned, or “to be topped;” and “may I be topped!” is an ejaculation often heard from the mouths of London roughs. Formerly, when the place for execution was at Tyburn, near the N. E. corner of Hyde Park, at the angle formed by the Edgware Road and the top of Oxford Street, the criminal brought here was said to put on the “Tyburn tippet,” i.e., Jack Ketch’s rope. The Latins used to describe one hanged as making the letter I with his body, or the long letter. In Plautus old Staphyla says: “The best thing for me to do, is with the help of a halter, to make with my body the long letter.” Modern Italians say of a man about to be executed, that he is sent to Picardy, “mandato in Picardia.” They also use other circumlocutions, “andare a Longone,” “andare a Fuligno,” “dar de’ calci al vento,” “ballar in campo azurro.” Again, the Italian “truccante” (thief), in his “lingue furbesche” (cant of thieves), says of a criminal who ascends the scaffold, the “sperlunga, or faticosa” (gallows), with the “margherita, or signora” (rope) adjusted on his “guindo” (neck) by the “cataron” (executioner), that he may be considered as “aver la fune al guindo.” The Spanish “azor” (thief, in Germania, or Spanish cant), under sentence of a “tristeza” (sentence of death), when about to be executed left the “angustia” (prison) to go to the gallows, or “balanza,” which is now a thing of the past, having been superseded by the hideous “garote.” The German “broschem-blatter” (thief, in “rothwelsch,” or German cant), when sentenced to death was doomed to the “dolm,” or “nelle,” on which he was ushered out of this world by the “caffler” (German Jack Ketch).

Monter (popular), d’un cran, to obtain an appointment superior to that one possesses already; to be promoted; —— À l’arbre, or À l’Échelle, to be fooled. Alluding to a bear at the Zoological Gardens being induced to climb the pole by the prospect of some dainty bit which is not thrown to him after all. Also to get angry, “to get one’s monkey up;” —— en graine, to grow old. Literally to run to seed; —— des couleurs, le Job, or un schtosse, to deceive one by false representations, “to bamboozle;” —— une gamme, to scold, “to bully-rag;” —— un coup, to find a pretext; to lay a trap for one.

C’est des daims huppÉs qui veulent monter un coup À un ennemi.—E. Sue.

Monter le coup, or un battage, to deceive one by misleading statements. Ça ne prend pas, tu ne me monteras pas le coup, “No go,” I am aware of your practices and “twig” your manoeuvre, or “don’t come the old soldier over me.” Faire —— À l’Échelle, to make one angry, “to make one lose his shirt.” Se —— le bourrichon, or le baluchon, to fly into a passion about some alleged injustice. Also to be too sanguine, to form illusions about one’s abilities, or about the success of some project.

Oh! je ne me monte pas le bourrichon, je sais que je ne ferai pas de vieux os.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

Se —— le coup, se —— le verre en fleurs, to form illusions. Essayer de —— un bateau À quelqu’un, to seek to deceive one, “to come the old soldier” over one. (Thieves’) Monter un arcat, to swindle, “to bite;” —— un gandin, to deceive, “to stick, or to best;” —— un chopin, to make all necessary preparations for a robbery, “to lay a plant;” —— À la butte, to be guillotined.

Un jour, j’ai pris mon surin pour le refroidir. AprÈs tout, mon rÊve c’est de monter À la butte.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Monter sur la table, to make a clean breast of it; to inform against one, “to blow the gaff.” It also means to tell a secret, “to split.”

(Theatrical) Monter une partie, to get together a small number of actors to give out of Paris one or two performances; (military) —— en ballon, practical joke at the expense of a new-comer. During the night, to both ends of the bed of the victim are fixed two running nooses, the ropes being attached high up on a partition by the side of the bed. At a given signal the ropes being pulled, the occupant of the bed finds himself lifted in the air, with his couch upside down occasionally.

Monteur, m. (theatrical), de partie, an actor whose spÉcialitÉ is to get together a few brother actors for the purpose of performing out of town; (popular) —— de coups, or de godans, swindler; one who is fond of hoaxing people; one who imposes on others, “humbug.” Concerning the latter term the Slang Dictionary says: “A very expressive but slang word, synonymous at one time with hum and haw. Lexicographers for a long time objected to the adoption of this term. Richardson uses it frequently to express the meaning of other words, but, strange to say, omits it in the alphabetical arrangement as unworthy of recognition! In the first edition of this work, 1785 was given as the earliest date at which the word could be found in a printed book. Since then ‘humbug’ has been traced half a century further back, on the title-page of a singular old jest-book, ‘The Universal Jester, or a pocket companion for the Wits: being a choice collection of merry conceits, facetious drolleries, &c., clenchers, closers, closures, bon-mots, and humbugs, by Ferdinando Killigrew.’ London, about 1735–40. The notorious orator Henley was known to the mob as Orator Humbug. The fact may be learned from an illustration in that exceedingly curious little collection of caricatures published in 1757, many of which were sketched by Lord Bolingbroke, Horace Walpole filling in the names and explanations. Haliwell describes humbug as ‘a person who hums,’ and cites Dean Milles’s MS., which was written about 1760. In the last century the game now known as double-dummy was termed humbug. Lookup, a notorious gambler, was struck down by apoplexy when playing at this game. On the circumstance being reported to Foote, the wit said, ‘Ah, I always thought he would be humbugged out of the world at last!’ It has been stated that the word is a corruption of Hamburg, from which town so many false bulletins and reports came during the war in the last century. ‘Oh, that is Hamburg (or Humbug),’ was the answer to any fresh piece of news which smacked of improbability. Grose mentions it in his Dictionary, 1785; and in a little printed squib, published in 1808, entitled Bath Characters, by T. Goosequill, humbug is thus mentioned in a comical couplet on the title-page:—

Gradually from this time the word began to assume a place in periodical literature, and in novels written by not over-precise authors. In the preface to a flat, and most likely unprofitable poem, entitled The Reign of Humbug, a Satire, 8vo, 1836, the author thus apologizes for the use of the word: ‘I have used the term humbug to designate this principle (wretched sophistry of life generally), considering that it is now adopted into our language as much as the words dunce, jockey, cheat, swindler, &c., which were formerly only colloquial terms.’ A correspondent, who in a number of Adversaria ingeniously traced bombast to the inflated Doctor Paracelsus Bombast, considers that humbug may, in like manner, be derived from Homberg, the distinguished chemist of the Court of the Duke of Orleans, who, according to the following passage from Bishop Berkeley’s Siris, was an ardent and successful seeker after the philosopher’s stone:—

Of this there cannot be a better proof than the experiment of Monsieur Homberg, who made gold of mercury by introducing light into its pores, but at such trouble and expense that, I suppose, nobody will try the experiment for profit. By this injunction of light and mercury, both bodies became finer, and produced a third different to either, to wit, real gold. For the truth of which fact I refer to the memoirs of the French Academy of Sciences.—Berkeley, Works.”

The Supplementary English Glossary gives the word “humbugs” as the North-country term for certain lumps of toffy, well flavoured with peppermint. (Roughs’) Monter À cheval, to be suffering from a tumour in the groin, a consequence of venereal disease, and termed poulain, foal, hence the jeu de mots; (wine retailers’) —— sur le tonneau, to add water to a cask of wine, “to christen” it. Adding too much water to an alcoholic liquor is termed by lovers of the “tipple” in its pure state, “to drown the miller.”

Monteur de coups, m. (popular), story-teller; cheat.

Monteuse de coups, f. (popular), deceitful woman; one who “bamboozles” her lover or lovers.

Montparno (thieves’), Montparnasse. See MÉnilmonte.

Montrer (theatrical), la couture de ses bas, to break off a stage engagement by the simple process of leaving the theatre; (familiar and popular) —— toute sa boutique, to expose one’s person.

Ah! non ... remettez votre camisole. Vous savez, je n’aime pas les indÉcences. Pendant que vous y Êtes, montrez toute votre boutique.—Zola.

Montre-tout, m. (popular), short jacket. Termed also “ne te gÊne pas dans le parc.” (Prostitutes’) Aller À ——, to go to the medical examination, a periodical and compulsory one, for registered prostitutes, those who shirk it being sent to the prison of Saint-Lazare.

Monu, m. (cads’), one-sou cigar.

Monument, m. (popular), tall hat, or “stove-pipe.”

Monzu, or mouzu, m. (old cant), woman’s breasts. Termed, in other varieties of jargon, “avant-postes, avant-scÈnes, oeufs sur le plat, oranges sur l’ÉtagÈre,” and in the English slang, “dairies, bubbies, or Charlies.”

Morasse, f. (printers’), proof taken before the forme is finally arranged; —— final proof of a newspaper article. Also workman who remains to correct such a proof, or the time employed in the work. (Thieves’) Morasse, uneasiness; remorse. Battre ——, to make a hue and cry, “to romboyle,” in old cant, or “to whiddle beef.”

Morassier, m. (printers’), one who prints off the last proof of a newspaper article.

Morbaque, m. (popular), disagreeable child. See Morbec.

Morbec, m. (popular), a variety of vermin which clings tenaciously to certain parts of the human body.

Morceau, m. (freemasons’), d’architecture, speech; (popular) —— de gruyÈre, pockmarked face, “cribbage-face;” —— de salÉ, fat woman. Un ——, a slatternly girl. (Thieves’) Manger le ——, to peach, “to blow the gaff.”

(Literary) Morceau de pÂte ferme, heavy, dull production. (Artists’) Faire le ——, to paint details skilfully. (Military) Le beau temps tombe par morceaux, it rains.

Mord (familiar and popular), Ça ne —— pas, it’s no use; no go.

Mordante, f. (thieves’), file; saw. The allusion is obvious.

Mordre (popular), se faire ——, to be reprimanded, “to get a wigging;” to get thrashed, or “wolloped.”

Moresque, f. (thieves’), danger.

Morfe, f. (thieves’), meal; victuals, or “toke.”

Veux-tu venir prendre de la morfe et piausser avec mÉziÈre en une des pioles que tu m’as rouscaillÉe?—Le Jargon de l’Argot.

Morfiante, f. (thieves’), plate.

Morfigner, morfiler (thieves’), to do; to eat. From the old word morfier. Rabelais uses the word morfialler with the signification of to eat, to gorge oneself.

La, la, la, c’est morfiallÉ cela.—Rabelais, Gargantua.

Morfiler, or morfiller (thieves’), to eat, “to yam.”

Un vieux fagot qui s’Était fait raille pour morfiller.—Vidocq. (An old convict who had turned spy to get a living.)

Termed also morfier. Compare with morfire, or morfizzare, to eat, in the lingue furbesche, or Italian cant. Se —— le dardant, to fret. Dardant, heart.

Morgane, f. (old cant), salt.

C’est des oranges, si tu demandais du sel ... de la morgane! mon fils, Ça coÛte pas cher.—Vidocq. (Here are some potatoes; just you ask for salt, my boy; it’s cheap enough.)

Morganer (roughs’ and thieves’), to bite. Morgane le gonse et chair dure! Bite the cove! pitch into him!

Moricaud, m. (thieves’), coal; wine-dealer’s wooden pitcher.

Mori-larve, f. (thieves’), sunburnt face.

Morlingue, m. (thieves’), money; purse, “skin.” Faire le ——, to steal a purse, “to fake a skin.”

Mornante, f. (thieves’), sheepfold. From morne, sheep.

Morne, f. and adj. (thieves’), sheep, or “wool-bird.” Termed “bleating cheat” by English vagabonds. Courbe de ——, shoulder of mutton. Morne, stupid; stupid man, “go along.”

MornÉe, f. (thieves’), mouthful.

Mornier, morneux, or marmier, m. (thieves’), shepherd.

Morniffer (popular), to slap one’s face, “to fetch a bang,” or “to give a biff,” as the Americans have it. Termed to give a “clo,” at Winchester School.

Mornifle, f. (thieves’), money, or “blunt.”

Mornifle tarte, spurious coin, or “queer bit.” Refiler de la —— tarte, to pass off bad coin; to be a “snide pitcher, or smasher.” Properly mornifle has the signification of cuff on the face.

Mornifleur tarte, m. (thieves’), coiner, or “queer-bit faker.”

Morningue, or morlingue, m. (thieves’), money, or “pieces;” purse. Faire le ——, to pick a pocket. In the old English cant “to fang” a pocket.

Termed in modern English cant “to fake a cly,” a pickpocket being called, according to Lord Lytton, a “buzz gloak”:—

The “eminent hand” ended with—“He who surreptitiously accumulates bustle, is, in fact, nothing better than a buzz gloak.—Paul Clifford.

Porte ——, purse, “skin, or poge.”

Mornos, m. (thieves’), mouth, “bone-box, or muns.” Probably from morne, mutton, the mouth’s most important function being to receive food.

Morpion, m. (popular), strong expression of contempt; despicable man, or “snot.” Literally crab-louse. Also a bore, one who clings to you as the vermin alluded to.

Morpionner (popular), is said of a bore that you cannot get rid of.

Morse (Breton cant), barley bread.

Mort, f. and adj. (popular), marchand de —— subite, physician, “pill.”

C’est bien sÛr le mÉdecin en chef ... tous les marchands de mort subite vous ont de ces regards-lÀ.—Zola.

Lampe À ——, confirmed drunkard whose thirst cannot be slaked. (Familiar and popular) Un corps ——, an empty bottle. The English say, when a bottle has been emptied, “Take away this bottle; it has ‘Moll Thompson’s’ mark on it,” that is, it is M. T. An empty bottle is also termed a “marine, or marine recruit.” “This expression having once been used in the presence of an officer of Marines,” says the Slang Dictionary, “he was at first inclined to take it as an insult, until someone adroitly appeased his wrath by remarking that no offence could be meant, as all that it could possibly imply was: one who had done his duty, and was ready to do it again.” (Popular) Eau de ——, brandy. See Tord-boyaux. (Thieves’) Etre ——, to be sentenced, “booked.” Hirondelle de la ——, gendarme on duty at executions. (Military school of Saint-Cyr) Se faire porter ÉlÈve-mort is to get placed on the sick list. (Gamesters’) Mort, stakes which have been increased by a cheat, who slily lays additional money the moment the game is in his favour.

Morte paye sur mer, f. (thieves’), the hulks (obsolete).

Morue, f. (popular), dirty, disgusting woman.

Vous voyez, FranÇoise, ce panier de fraises qu’on vous fait trois francs; j’en offre un franc, moi, et la marchande m’appelle ... Oui, madame, elle vous appelle ... morue!—Gavarni.

Also prostitute. See Gadoue. Grande —— dessalÉe, expression of the utmost contempt applied to a woman. Pedlars formerly termed “morue,” manuscripts, for the printing of which they formed an association, “clubbed” together.

Morviau, m. (popular), nose. Termed also “pif, bourbon, piton, pivase, bouteille, caillou, trompe, truffe, tubercule, trompette, nazareth;” and, in English slang, “conk, boko, nob, snorter, handle, post-horn, and smeller.” LÉcher le ——, to kiss. The expression is old.

LÉcher le morveau, maniÈre de parler ironique, qui signifie caresser une femme, la courtiser, la servir, faire l’amour. Dit de mÊme que lÉcher le grouin, baiser, Être assidu et attachÉ À une personne.—Le Roux, Dict. Comique.

The term “snorter” of the English jargon has the corresponding equivalent “soffiante” in Italian cant.

Morviot, m. (popular), secretion from the mucous membrane of the nose, “snot.”

Morviot, term of contempt, not quite so forcible as the English expression “snot,” which has the signification of contemptible individual. Petit ——, little scamp.

Moscou, m. (military), faire brÛler ——, to mix a vast bowl of punch. Alluding to the burning down of Moscow by the Russians themselves in 1812.

Mossieu À tubard, m. (popular), well-dressed man, a “swell cove.” Tubard is a silk hat.

Mot, m. (popular), casser un ——, to have a chat, or “chin music.”

Motte, f. (general), pudenda mulierum. Termed also “chat,” and formerly by the poets “le verger de Cypris.” Le Roux, concerning the expression, says:—

La motte de la nature d’une femme, c’est proprement le petit bois touffu qui garnit le penil d’une femme.—Dict. Comique.

Formerly the false hair for those parts was termed in English “merkin.” (Thieves’) Motte, central prison, or house of correction. DÉgringoler de la ——, to come from such a place of confinement. The synonyms of prison in different varieties of slang are: “castue, caruche, hÔpital, mitre, chetard or jetard, collÈge, grosse boÎte, l’ours, le violon, le bloc, boÎte aux cailloux, tuneÇon, austo, mazaro, lycÉe, chÂteau, lazaro.” In the English lingo: “stir, clinch, bastile, steel, sturrabin, jigger, Irish theatre, stone-jug, mill,” the last-named being an abbreviation of treadmill, and signifying by analogy prison. The word is mentioned by Dickens:—

“Was you never on the mill?” “What mill,” inquired Oliver. “What mill? why the mill,—the mill as takes up so little room that it’ll work inside a stone-jug.—Oliver Twist.

In Yorkshire a prison goes by the appellation of “Toll-shop,” as shown by this verse of a song popular at fairs in the East Riding:—

This “toll-shop” is but a variation of the Scottish “tolbooth.” The general term “quod” to denote a prison originates from the universities. Quod is really a shortening of quadrangle; so to be quodded is to be within four walls (Slang Dict.).

Motus dans l’entrepont! (sailors’), silence! “put a clapper to your mug,” or “mum’s the word.”

Mou, m. (popular), avoir le —— enflÉ, to be pregnant, or “lumpy.”

Mouchailler (popular and thieves’), to scan, “to stag;” to look at, “to pipe;” to see.

J’itre mouchaillÉ le babillard ... je n’y itre mouchaillÉ floutiÈre de vain.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.

Mouchard, m. (popular), portrait hung in a room; (popular and thieves’) —— À becs, lamp-post, the inconvenient luminary being compared to a spy. Mouchard, properly spy, one who goes busily about like a fly. It formerly had the signification of dandy.

A la fin du xvii? siÈcle, on donnait encore ce nom aux petits-maÎtres qui frÉquentaient les Tuileries pour voir autant que pour Être vus; C’est sur ce fameux thÉÂtre des Tuileries, dit un Écrivain de l’Époque, qu’une beautÉ naissante fait sa premiÈre entrÉe au monde. BientÔt les “mouchars” de la grande allÉe sont en campagne au bruit d’un visage nouveau; chacun court en repaÎtre ses yeux.—Michel.

Moucharde, f. (thieves’), moon, “parish lantern, or Oliver.”

La —— se dÉbine, the moon disappears, “Oliver is sleepy.”

Mouche, f., adj., and verb (general), police, or police officer; detective. Compare with the “mÜcke,” or spy, of German cant; (thieves’) muslin; (students’) —— À miel, candidate to the Ecole Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, a great engineering school. Alluding to the bee embroidered in gold on their caps. (Popular) Mouche, bad, or “snide;” ugly; stupid. C’est bon pour qui qu’est ——, it is only fit for “flats.” Mouche, weak.

Il a reparu, l’ami soleil. Bravo! encore bien dÉbile, bien pÂlot, bien “mouche,” dirait Gavroche.—Richepin.

Non, c’est q’ j’ me ——, ironical negative expression meant to be strongly affirmative. Synonymous of “non, c’est q’ je tousse!” Vous n’avez rien fait? Non, c’est q’ j’ me ——, you did nothing? oh! didn’t I, just!

Moucher (popular), le quinquet, to kill, “to do” for one; to strike, to give a “wipe.”

Allons, mouche-lui le quinquet, Ça l’esbrouffera.—Th. Gautier.

Moucher la chandelle, to give oneself up to solitary practices; to act according to the principles of Malthus with a view of not begetting children. For further explanation the reader may be referred to a work entitled The Fruits of Philosophy; —— sa chandelle, to die, “to snuff it.” For synonyms see Pipe. Se —— dans ses doigts (obsolete), to be clever, resolute. Se faire —— le quinquet, to get one’s head punched. (Gamesters’) Se ——, is said of attendants who, while pretending to make use of their handkerchiefs, purloin a coin or two from the gaming-table. It is said of such an attendant, who on the sly abstracts a gold piece from the stakes laid out on the table, il s’est “mouchÉ” d’un louis.

Moucheron, m. (popular), waiter at a wine-shop; child, or “kid.”

Mouches, f. pl. (popular), d’hiver, snow-flakes. Tuer les ——, to emit a bad smell, capable of killing even flies. Termed also tuer les —— À quinze pas. (Theatrical) Envoyer des coups de pied aux ——, to lead a disorderly life.

Mouchettes, f. pl. (popular), pocket-handkerchief, “snottinger, or wipe.” Termed “madam, or stook,” by English thieves. Des ——! equivalent to du flan! des navets! des nÈfles, &c., forcible expression of refusal; may be rendered by “Don’t you wish you may get it!” or, as the Americans say, “Yes, in a horn.”

Moucheur de chandelles, m. (popular). See Moucher.

Mouchique, adj. (popular and thieves’), base, worthless, bad, “snide.”

The English cant has the old word “queer,” signifying base, roguish, or worthless—the opposite of “rum,” which signified good and genuine. “Queer, in all probability,” says the Slang Dictionary, “is immediately derived from the cant language. It has been mooted that it came into use from a ‘quÆre’ (?) being set before a man’s name; but it is more than probable that it was brought into this country by the gipsies from Germany, where quer signifies cross, or crooked.” (Thieves’) Etre —— À sa section, or À la sec, to be noted as a bad character at the police office of one’s district. The word “mouchique,” says Michel, is derived from “mujik,” a Russian peasant, which must have become familiar in 1815 to the inhabitants of the parts of the country invaded by the Russians.

Mouchoir, m. (popular), d’Adam, the fingers, used by some people as a natural handkerchief, “forks;” —— de boeuf, meadow. Termed thus on account of oxen having their noses in the grass when grazing; —— de poche, pistol, or “pops.” (Familiar and popular) Faire le ——, to steal pocket-handkerchiefs, “to draw a wipe.” Coup de —— (obsolete), a box on the ear, a “wipe in the chaps.”

Voyez le train qu’a m’ fait pour un coup de mouchoir que j’lui ai donnÉ.—Pompigny, 1783.

(Theatrical) Faire le ——, to pirate another author’s productions.

Mouchouar-godel (Breton cant), pistol.

Moudre (popular), or —— un air, to ply a street organ.

Mouf (popular), abbreviation of Mouffetard, the name of a street almost wholly tenanted by rag-pickers, and situate in one of the lowest quarters of Paris. Quartier —— mouf, the Quartier Mouffetard. La tribu des Beni Mouf-mouf, inhabitants of the Quartier Mouffetard. Champagne ——, or Champagne Mouffetard, a liquid manufactured by rag-pickers with rotten oranges picked out of the refuse at the Halles. The fruit, after being washed, is thrown into a cask of water and allowed to ferment for a few days, after which some brown sugar being added, the liquid is bottled up, and does duty as champagne. It is the Cliquot of poor people.

MoufflantÉ, adj. (popular), comfortably, warmly clad.

Moufflet, m. (popular), child, or “kid;” urchin; apprentice.

Moufion, m. (popular), pocket-handkerchief, “snottinger, or wipe.”

Moufionner (popular), to blow one’s nose. (Thieves’) Se —— dans le son, to be guillotined. Literally to blow one’s nose in the bran. An allusion to an executed convict’s head, which falls into a basket full of sawdust. Termed also “Éternuer dans le son, or le sac.” See FauchÉ.

Mouget, m. (roughs’), a swell, or “gorger.” Des pÉniches À la ——, fashionable boots, as now worn, with pointed toes and large square heels.

Mouillante, f. (thieves’), cod; (popular) soup.

MouillÉ, adj. (popular), Être ——, to be drunk, or “tight.” See Pompette. Etre ——, to be known in one’s real character. Alluding to cloths which are soaked in water to ascertain their quality. (Thieves’) Etre ——, to be well known to the police.

Mouiller (popular), se ——, to drink, “to have something damp,” or as the Americans have it, “to smile, to see the man.” The term is old.

Mouillez-vous pour seicher, ou seichez pour mouiller.—Rabelais.

Also to get slightly intoxicated, or “elevated.” (Theatrical) Mouiller À, or dans, to receive a royalty for a play produced on the stage. Se ——, to take pains in one’s acting. (Thieves’) Se —— les pieds, to be transported, “to lump the lighter, or to be lagged.” (Roughs’) En ——, to perform some extraordinary feat with great expenditure of physical strength. Les frÈres qui en mouillent, acrobats. (Military) Mouiller, to be punished.

Mouise, f. (thieves’), soup.

Vous qui n’avez probablement dans le bauge que la mouise de TunebÉe BicÊtre vous devez canner la pÉgrenne.—Vidocq.

Moukala, m. (military), rifle. From the Arab.

MoukÈre, or moucaire, f. (popular), ugly woman; girl of indifferent character; (military) mistress. Ma ——, my young “’ooman.” Avoir sa ——, to have won the good graces of a fair one, generally a cook in the case of an infantry soldier, the cavalry having the monopoly of housemaids or ladies’ maids, and sappers showing a great penchant for nursery-maids.

Moulard, m. (popular), superlative of moule, dunce, or “flat.”

Moule, m. and f. (popular), une ——, face, or “mug.” Also a dunce, simpleton, or “muff.”

Foutez-moi la paix! Vous Êtes une couenne et une moule!—G. Courteline.

Le —— À blagues, mouth, or “chaffer.” Literally the humbug-box. Un —— À boutons, a twenty-franc piece. Un —— À claques, face with impertinent expression which invites punishment. Termed also —— À croquignoles. Un —— À gaufres, or À pastilles, a face pitted with small-pox marks, “crumpet-face, or cribbage-face.” Un moule À gaufres is properly a waffle-iron. Un —— À poupÉe (obsolete), a clumsily-built, awkward man.

Ah! ah! ah! C’grand benÊt! a-t-il un air jaune ... dis donc eh! c’moule À poupÉe, qu’ veux-tu faire de cette pique?—Riche-en-gueule.

Un —— À merde, behind, “Nancy.” For synonyms see Vasistas. Also a foul-mouthed person. Un —— de gant, box on the ear, or “bang in the gills.” Un —— de bonnet, head, or “canister.” Un —— de pipe À Gambier, grotesque face, or “knocker face.” Un —— À melon, humpback, or “lord.” (Military) Envoyer chercher le —— aux guillemets, to send a recruit on a fool’s errand, to send him to ask the sergeant-major for the mould for inverted commas, the joke being varied by requesting him to fetch the key of the drill-ground. Corresponds somewhat to sending a greenhorn for pigeon’s milk, or a pennyworth of stirrup-oil.

Mouler (familiar and popular), un sÉnateur, to ease oneself by evacuation, “to bury a quaker;” (artists’) —— une VÉnus, same meaning. Artists term “gazonner,” the act of easing oneself in the fields. See Mouscailler.

Moulin, m. (popular), de la halle (obsolete), the pillory.

Moulin, hairdresser’s shop; —— À cafÉ, mitrailleuse. Thus termed on account of the revolving handle used in firing it off, like that of a coffee-mill. Also street organ; —— À merde, slanderer; —— À vent, the behind. See Vasistas. Concerning the expression Le Roux says:—

Moulin À vent, pour cul, derriÈre. Moulin À vent, parcequ’on donne l’essor À ses vents par cette ouverture-lÀ.—Dict. Comique.

(Thieves’) Moulin, receiver’s, or “fence’s,” house. Termed also “maison du meunier.” Porter du gras-double au ——, to steal lead and take it to a receiver of stolen property, “to do bluey at the fence.” (Police) Passer au —— À cafÉ, to transport a prostitute to the colonies.

Moulinage, m. (popular), prattling, “clack.”

Mouliner (popular), to talk nonsense; to prattle. A term specially used in reference to the fair sex, and an allusion to the rapid, regular, and monotonous motion of a mill, or to the noise produced by the paddles of a water-mill, a “tattle-box” being termed moulin À paroles.

Mouloir, m. (thieves’), mouth, “bone-box, or muns;” teeth, “ivories, or grinders.”

Moulure, f. (popular), lump of excrement, or “quaker.” Machine À moulures, breech, or “Nancy.” See Vasistas.”

Mouniche, f. (thieves’), woman’s privities, “merkin,” according to the Slang Dictionary.

Mounin, m. (thieves’), child, or “kid;” apprentice.

Mounine, f. (thieves’), little girl.

Mouquette, f. (popular), cocotte, or “poll.” See Gadoue.

Assez! Taisez vos becs!... À la porte les mouquettes!—P. Mahalin.

Moure, f. (thieves’), pretty face, “dimber mug.”

Mourir (popular), tu t’en ferais ——! is expressive of refusal. Literally if I gave you what you want you would die for joy. See NÈfles.

Mouron, m. (popular), ne plus avoir de —— sur la cage, to be bald, or to sport “a bladder of lard.” For synonymous expressions see Avoir.

Mouscaille, f. (thieves’), excrement, or, as the Irish say, “quaker.”

Mouscailler (thieves’), to ease oneself by evacuation. The synonyms are “mousser, enterrer son colonel, aller faire une ballade À la lune, mouler un sÉnateur, mouler une VÉnus, gazonner, aller au numÉro cent, dÉponer, fogner, flaquer, Écrire À un Juif, dÉposer une pÊche, poser un pÉpin, un factionnaire, or une sentinelle; envoyer une dÉpÊche À Bismark, flasquer, touser, faire corps neuf, dÉposer une mÉdaille de papier volant, or des Pays-Bas (obsolete), faire des cordes, mettre une lettre À la poste, faire le grand, faire une commission, dÉbourrer sa pipe, dÉfalquer, tarter, faire une moulure, aller quelque part, aller À ses affaires, aller oÙ le roi va À pied, filer, aller chez Jules, ierchem, aller oÙ le roi n’envoie personne, flaquader, fuser, gÂcher du gros, galipoter, pousser son rond, filer le cable de proue, faire un pruneau, aller au buen-retiro, aller voir Bernard, faire ronfler le bourrelet, la chaise percÉe, or la chaire percÉe.” In the English slang, “to go to the West Central, to go to Mrs. Jones, or to the crapping-ken, to the bog-house, to the chapel of ease, to Sir Harry; to crap, to go to the crapping-case, to the coffee-shop, to the crapping castle,” and, as the Irish term it, “to bury a quaker.”

Mouscailleur, m. (popular), scavenger employed in emptying cesspools, or “gold-finder.”

Mousquetaire gris, m. (popular), louse, or “grey-backed ’un.”

Moussaillon, m. (sailors’), a ship-boy, or “powder-monkey.” From mousse, ship-boy.

Moussante, f. (popular and thieves’), beer, or “gatter.” Un pot de ——, a “shant of gatter.” A curious slang street melody, known in Seven Dials as Bet the Coaley’s Daughter, mentions the word “gatter”:—

Moussante mouchique, bad, flat beer, “swipes, or belly vengeance.”

Moussard, m. (thieves’), chestnut tree.

Mousse, f. (popular and thieves’), excrement; wine. The word is old. Villon, a poet of the fifteenth century, uses it with the latter signification. For quotation see Jouer du pouce. (Popular) De la ——! nonsense! “all my eye,” or “all my eye and Betty Martin.” Is also expressive of ironical refusal; “yes, in a horn,” as the Americans say.

Moussecailloux, m. (popular), infantry soldier, “wobbler, or beetle-crusher.”

Mousseline, f. (thieves’), white bread, or “pannum,” alluding to a similarity of colour. Also prisoner’s fetters, “darbies.”

Mousser (popular), to ease oneself by evacuation. See Mouscailler. Also to be wroth, “to have one’s monkey up.” Faire —— quelqu’un, to make one angry by “riling” him.

Mousserie, f. (thieves’), privy, “crapping-ken.”

Mousseux, adj. (literary), hyperbolic.

Moussue, f. (thieves’), chestnut.

Moustachu, m. (familiar), man with moustache.

Moustique, m. (popular), avoir un —— dans la boÎte au sel, to be “cracked,” “to have a slate off.” For synonymous expressions see Avoir.

Mout, adj. (popular), pretty, handsome.

Moutarde, f. (popular), excrement. Baril À ——, the behind. For synonyms see Vasistas. The expression is old.

Moutardier, m. (popular), breech, or “tochas.” See Vasistas.

Et en face! Je n’ai pas besoin de renifler ton moutardier.—Zola.

Mouton, m. (popular), mattress, or “mot cart;” (general) prisoner who is set to watch a fellow-prisoner, and, by winning his confidence, seeks to extract information from him, a “nark.”

Comme tu seras au violon avant lui, il ne se doutera pas que tu es un mouton.—Vidocq.

Deux sortes de coqueurs sont À la dÉvotion de la police: les coqueurs libres, et les coqueurs dÉtenus autrement dit moutons.—MÉmoires de Canler.

Moutonnaille, f. (popular), crowd. Sheep will form a crowd.

Moutonner (thieves’ and police), to play the spy on fellow-prisoners.

Celui qui est mouton court risque d’Être assassinÉ par les compagnons ... aussi la police parvient-elle rarement À dÉcider les voleurs À moutonner leurs camarades.—Canler.

Moutrot, m. (thieves’), Prefect of police. Le logis du ——, the PrÉfecture de Police.

Mouvante, f. (thieves’), porridge.

Mouvement, m. (swindlers’), concierge dans le ——, doorkeeper in league with a gang of swindlers, for a description of which see Bande noire.

Mouzu, m. (thieves’), woman’s breasts, “Charlies, or dairies.”

Muche, adj. and m. (prostitutes’), polite, timid young man; (popular) excellent, perfect, “bully, or ripping.”

Muette, f. (Saint-Cyr School), drill exercise in which cadets purposely do not make their muskets ring. This is done to annoy any unpopular instructor. (Thieves’) Muette, conscience. Avoir une puce À la ——, to feel a pang of remorse.

Mufe, or muffle, m. and adj. (thieves’), mason; (familiar and popular) mean fellow; mean.

Son pÂtissier s’Était montrÉ assez mufe pour menacer de la vendre, lorsqu’elle l’avait quittÉ.—Zola, Nana.

Mufe, scamp, cad, “bally bounder.”

Elles restaient gaies, jetant simplement un “sale mufe!” derriÈre le dos des maladroits dont le talon leur arrachait un volant.—Zola, Nana.

MuffÉe, f. (popular), en avoir une vraie ——, to be completely intoxicated. See Pompette.

Muffeton, muffleton, m. (popular), young scamp; mason’s apprentice.

Muffleman (popular), mean fellow.

Mufflerie, f. (popular), contemptible action; behaviour like a cad’s.

Mufle, m. (thieves’), se casser le ——, to meet with. Termed also “tomber en frime.”

Tel escarpe ou assassin ne commettra pas un crime un vendredi, ou s’il s’est cassÉ le mufle devant un ratichon (prÊtre).—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Mufrerie, f. (popular), disparaging epithet; —— de sort! curse my luck!

Muitar, f. (thieves’), Être dans la ——, to be in prison, or “in quod.”

Mulet, m. (military), marine artillery man; (printers’) compositor, or “donkey.” “In the days before steam machinery was invented, the men who worked at press,” says the Slang Dictionary, “the pressmen, were so dirty and drunken a body that they earned the name of pigs. In revenge, and for no reason that can be discovered, they christened the compositors “donkeys.’” (Thieves’) Mulet, devil.

Les meusniers, aussi ont une mesme faÇon de parler que les cousturiers, appelant leur asne le grand Diable, et leur sac, Raison. Et rapportant leur farine À ceux ausquels elle appartient, si on leur demande s’ils en ont point prins plus qu’il ne leur en faut, respondent: Le grand Diable m’emporte, si j’en ay prins que par raison. Mais pour tout cela ils disent qu’ils ne desrobent rien, car on leur donne.—Tabourot.

Muraille (familiar and popular), battre la ——, to be drunk and to reel about, now in the gutter, now against the wall.

Murer (popular), je te vas ——! I’ll knock you down, or I’ll double you up! See Voie.

LÀ il commenÇa À m’embrasser. Ma foi, comme pour le verre de vin, il n’y avait pas de refus. Il ne me dÉplaisait pas, cet homme. Il voulut mÊme m’habiller avec une chemise de sa femme. Mais voici qu’il me propose des choses que je ne pouvais accepter, et qu’il me menace de me murer si je dis un mot.—Echo de Paris.

Muron, m. (thieves’), salt.

Muronner (thieves’), to salt.

MuronniÈre, f. (thieves’), salt-cellar.

Musardine, f. (familiar), name given some forty years ago to a more than fast girl, or to a girl of indifferent character, termed sometimes by English “mashers,” a “blooming tartlet.”

On dit une musardine, comme jadis on disait une lorette.—AlbÉric Second.

The synonyms corresponding to various epochs are:—Under the Restauration “femme aimable,” a term of little significance. In Louis Philippe’s time, “lorette,” on account of the frail ones mostly dwelling in the Quartier Notre Dame de Lorette. Under the Third Empire “chignon dorÉ” (it was then the fashion, as it still is, for such women to dye their hair a bright gold or auburn tint), or “cocodette,” the feminine of “cocodÈs,” young dandy. Now-a-days frequenters of the Boulevards use the term “boudinÉe,” “boudinÉ, bÉcarre, or pschutteux,” being the latest appellations for the Parisian “masher.” The term “musardine” must first have been applied to fast girls frequenting the Bals Musard, attended at the time by all the “dashing” elements of Paris. “In English polite society, a fast young lady,” says the Slang Dictionary, “is one who affects mannish habits, or makes herself conspicuous by some unfeminine accomplishment, talks slang, drives about in London, smokes cigarettes, is knowing in dogs and horses, &c.”

MusÉe, m. (popular), le —— des claquÉs, the Morgue.

MuselÉ, m. (popular), dunce, or “flat;” good-for-nothing man. Alluding to a muzzled dog who cannot use his teeth.

Musette, f. (popular), voice. Couper la —— À quelqu’un, to silence one, “to clap a stopper on one’s mug;” to cut one’s throat.

Musicien, m. (thieves’), dictionary; variety of informer, or “snitcher;” (familiar) —— par intimidation, a street melodist who obtains money from people desirous of getting rid of him.

J’y ai retrouvÉ aussi le “musicien par intimidation,” l’homme À la clarinette, qui s’arrÊte devant les cafÉs du boulevard en faisant mine de porter À ses lÈvres le bec de son instrument. Les consommateurs ÉpouvantÉs se hÂtent de lui jeter quelque monnaie afin d’Éviter l’harmonie.—Elie FrÉbault, La Vie de Paris.

It, however, occurs occasionally that people annoyed by the harmonists of the street have their revenge whilst getting rid of them without having to pay toll, as in the case of the “musicien par intimidation.” One day a French artist in London, who every day was almost driven mad by the performances of a band of green-coated German musicians, hit upon the following singular stratagem. Placing himself at the window, and facing his tormentors, he applied a lemon to his lips. The effect was instantaneous, as through an association of ideas the mouths of the musicians began to water to such an extent that, unable to proceed with their symphony, they surrendered the battlefield to the triumphant artist. (Popular) Des musiciens, beans, alluding to the wind they generate in the bowels. (Printers’) Des musiciens, large number of corrections made on the margin of pages; unskilled compositors who are unable to proceed with their work.

Musique, f. (popular), second-hand articles; odd pieces of cloth sewn together; kind of penny loaf. Termed also “flÛte.” Also what remains in a glass; (thieves’) informing; informers.

La deuxiÈme classe, que les voleurs dÉsignent sous le nom de musique, est composÉe de tous les malfaiteurs qui, aprÈs leur arrestation, se mettent À table (dÉnoncent).—Canler.

Passer À la ——, to be placed in the presence of informers for identification; (card-sharpers’) swindling at cards.

Musiquer (card-sharpers’), to mark a card with the nail.

Musser (popular), to smell.

MutilÉs, m. pl. (military), soldiers of the punishment companies in Africa, who are sent there as a penalty for purposely maiming themselves in order to escape military service.

Mylord, m. (popular), hackney coach, “growler.”