Albert Barrre

Rabat, m. (popular and thieves’), cloak, “ryder, or topper.”

Rabateux de sorgue, m. (old cant), night thief. Termed also “doubleur de sorgue.” Michel says: “On donnait le nom de ‘rabats’ aux lutins et c’est ainsi que le chartreux Jacques de Clusa, ou Junterburck, qui a Écrit un traitÉ des Apparitions des Âmes aprÈs la mort et de leurs retraites, remarque qu’ils sont appelÉs. Rabelais, qui Écrivait postÉrieurement au crÉdule chartreux, place dans la bibliothÈque de Saint-Victor la Mommerye des rabats et luitins. De rabat est venu rabater, lutiner, que Nicot, Pontus de Tyard et Trippault dÉrivent de ?aÁtte??, dont les Grecs se sont servis pour dire se promener haut et bas, frapper, et faire du bruit.... En somme, il n’est pas douteux que ‘rabateux’ ne vienne de ‘rabater,’ et ne signifie Étymologiquement rÔdeur de nuit.”

Rabatteur de pantes, m. (thieves’), detective, “cop.” Termed also “baladin.” Literally a beater, man being the quarry.

Rabatteuse, f. (popular), procuress; small omnibus which plies between Paris and the outlying districts.

Rabattre (thieves’), to return.

C’est Égal, t’as beau en coquer, tu rabattras au prÉ.—Vidocq. (Never mind, in spite of all your informing, you will one day return to the hulks.)

Rabiage, m. (thieves’), income; profits.

Rabiau, rabio, or rabiot, m. (military), what remains of provisions or drink after all have had their share; profits on victuals or forage. The word has the general signification of remainder, over-plus.

—C’que c’est que c’ paquet-lÀ?

—Mon colonel, c’est ... du sel.

—Du sel ... tant qu’ Ça de sel! c’que vous f... d’tant qu’ Ça d’sel?

—Mon colonel, c’est que ... c’est un peu de rabio.

—Rabio! c’ment Ça, rabio? Pour lors vous avez volÉ tout c’sel-lÀ aux hommes! S’crongnieugnieu!... allons f... moi tout Ça dans la soupe!—Ch. Leroy, Guibollard et Ramollot.

Rabiot, convalescent soldier; what remains of a term of service; term of service in the compagnies de discipline, or punishment companies, termed “biribi.”

Il acheva la journÉe dans des transes indicibles, poursuivi de l’atroce pensÉe qu’il allait faire du rabiot, se voyant dÉjÀ À Biribi, en train de casser des cailloux sur les routes.—G. Courteline.

Rabiauter, or rabioter (military), to eat or drink what others have left.

Rabibochage, m. (familiar and popular), reconciliation.

Rabibocher (familiar), to effect a reconciliation between people who have quarrelled. Se ——, to forget one’s differences, to become friends again.

Les moindres bisbilles maintenant, finissaient par des attrapages, oÙ l’on se jetait la dÉbine de la maison À la tÊte; et c’Était le diable pour se rabibocher, avant d’aller pioncer chacun dans son dodo.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

Rabiot. See Rabiau.

Rabioter. See Rabiauter.

Raboin, m. (thieves’), devil, “ruffin, black spy, darble, old hairy.”

En v’lÀ un de bigoteur qui a le taffetas d’aller en glier oÙ le Raboin le retournera pour le faire riffauder.—Vidocq.

Michel says: “Ce mot doit venir de l’espagnol ‘rabo,’ queue, le raboin est donc le personnage À la queue. Je ne serais pas ÉtonnÉ que le nom de rabbin, par lequel on dÉsigne encore les docteurs juifs, ne fÛt l’origine de la croyance qui rÉgnait parmi le peuple, au moyen Âge, que les IsraÉlites naissaient avec une queue.” Termed also “rabouin.”

Il lansquine À Éteindre le riffe du rabouin.—Victor Hugo.

Compare the word with the Italian cant “rabuino,” which has a like signification.

Raboter (popular), l’andosse, to thrash one, “to dust one’s jacket.” Se —— le sifflet, to drink a glass of strong brandy. A metaphor which recalls the action of a plane on a piece of wood.

Raboteux. See Rabateux.

RabouillÈre, f. (familiar), wretched looking house, a “hole.”

Rabouler (popular and thieves’), to return. American thieves term this, “to hare it; “—— À la cassine, to return home, “to speel to the crib.”

Raccord, m. (theatrical), partial rehearsal of a play.

Raccourcir (familiar and popular), to guillotine. The expression dates from 1793. We find the following synonyms in Le PÈre DuchÊne of ’93, edited by HÉbert: “cracher dans le sac,” an allusion to the head falling into the basket and the blood spouting up; “mettre la tÊte À la fenÊtre,” shows the condemned one passing his head through the aperture; “jouer À la main-chaude,” which alludes to his hands tied behind his back, la main-chaude being literally hot cockles; “passer sous le rasoir national,” which needs no explanation. After ’93 Louis XVI. was called “Louis le raccourci.”

Raccourcisseur, m. (popular), the executioner. Called also “Charlot.” See Monsieur de Paris.

Rachevage, m. (popular), depraved individual; a foul-mouthed man.

Racine de buis, f. (popular), epithet applied to a humpback, to a “lord.” Also long yellow tooth.

RÂcler (thieves’), to breathe. Tortille la vis au pante; il rÂcle encore, throttle him, he breathes still. (Popular) RÂcler du fromage, to play the violin.

RÂclette, f. (popular), chimney-sweep; (thieves’) spy, “nose;” detective, “cop.”

RÂclure d’aubergine, f. (familiar), the ribbon of the decoration of officier d’AcadÉmie, which is violet.

Des hommes un peu plus ÂgÉs et portant À la boutonniÈre la “rÂclure d’aubergine” (le ruban d’officier d’AcadÉmie).—Didier, Echo de Paris, 1886.

Rade, radeau, m. (thieves’), till, or “lob;” shop, “chovey.” Encasquer dans un rade, to enter a shop.

Radicaille, or radicanaille, f. (familiar), the Radical party.

Radicaillon, m. (familiar), contemptuous epithet applied to a Radical.

Radicon, m. (thieves’), priest, “devil-dodger.” Termed also “Bible-pounder, white choker.”

Radin, m. (thieves’), fob. Friser le ——, to pick a fob. Un —— fleuri, a well-filled pocket. Un ——, a till, or “lob.” Faire un coup de ——, to steal the contents of a till. Termed by English thieves, “lob sneaking,” or “to draw a damper.” Un ——, a cap, or “tile.” Vol au ——, robbery in a shop. Two rogues pretend to quarrel, and one of them, as if in anger, throws the other’s cap into a shop, thus providing his accomplice with a pretext for entering the place, and an excuse should he be detected. See Vol au radin.

Radiner (thieves’), to return, “to hare it;” to arrive, “to tumble up.” Rigaud says, “Radiner est sans doute une dÉformation du verbe rabziner qui, dans le patois picard, a la mÊme signification.”

Radis (familiar and popular), money, “tin.” N’avoir pas un ——, to be penniless, to be “dead broke.” Ne pas foutre un ——, not to give a farthing.

Qu’a pleur’, qu’a rigol’; c’est tout comme;

SÛr! J’y foutrai pas un radis.

“T’as qu’À turbiner, comme j’y dis,

J’travaill’ ben, moi qui suis un homme!”

Gill, La Muse À Bibi.

Un —— noir, priest, “white choker;” police officer, or “crusher.”

Radouber (popular), se ——, or passer au grand radoub, to eat, “to yam.”

Radurer (thieves’), to whet.

Radureur, m. (thieves’), grinder.

Rafale, f. (popular and thieves’), poverty. A poor man without a farthing is said to be “dead broke, or a willow.”

Cela est assez Étonnant, dit la brune, tous les “nierts” qui sont venus pioncer “icigo” Étaient dans la “rafale;” c’est un vrai guignon.—Vidocq.

RafalÉ, m. and adj. (popular and thieves’), poor, “willow;” one with squalid clothes. (Familiar) Un visage ——, face with worn features.

Rafalement, m. (popular), humiliation; squalid poverty.

Rafaler (popular), to humiliate; to make one wretched. Se ——, to become poor or squalid.

Raffe, f. (popular and thieves’), booty, spoil, “swag.” “He cracked a case and fenced the swag,” he broke into a house and took the booty to a receiver’s.

Raffiler la manquesse (thieves’), to give one a bad character.

RaffinÉ, m., name given to court gallants and to duellists under Charles IX.

Un raffinÉ est un ... homme qui se bat quand le manteau d’un autre touche le sien, quand on crache À quatre pieds de lui.—P. MÉrimÉe, Chronique du RÈgne de Charles IX.

Raffurer (thieves’), to recover; to recoup. From re and affurer, to procure money. From the Latin fur.

Raffut, m. (popular), uproar; row, “shindy.”

Rafiau, m. (popular), servant at an hospital; hospital attendant.

Rafiot, m. (popular), thing of small importance, “no great shakes;” adulterated article of inferior quality. Termed “surat” in the English slang. This word affords a remarkable instance of the manner in which slang phrases are coined. In the report of an action for libel in the Times, some few years back, it was stated that since the American Civil War it has been not unusual for manufacturers to mix American cotton with Surat, and, the latter being an inferior article, the people in Lancashire have begun to apply the term “surat” to any article of inferior or adulterated quality.

RafraÎchir (military), se ——, to fight with swords. From rafraÎchir, to trim, the swords being the trimming instruments. (Popular) Se —— les barbes, to drink, “to wet one’s whistle.” American thieves term this, “to sluice one’s gob.”

Rage de dents, f. (popular), great hunger.

Ragot, m. (thieves’), quarter of a crown; (popular) short fat person, “humpty-dumpty.” The famous Ragotin of Scarron’s Roman Comique is short and fat. Faire du ——, to talk ill of one, to slander.

Ragougnasse, f. (popular), unsavoury stew.

RagoÛt, m. (painters’), vigorous style of painting.

Les mots dont ils se servaient pour apprÉcier le mÉrite de certains tableaux Étaient vraiment bizarres. Quelle superbe chose!... comme c’est tripotÉ! comme c’est torchÉ! Quel ragoÛt!—Th. Gautier.

(Popular) RagoÛt de poitrine, breasts, or “Charlies.”

T’as encore une belle nature pour parler d’z’autres! Est-ce parceque j’nons pas d’ragoÛt d’poitrine sus l’estoma? J’ons la place, plus blanche que la tienne, et j’n’y mettons pas d’chiffons comme toi.—Amusemens À la Grecque.

(Thieves’) RagoÛt, suspicion. Faire du ——, to awake suspicion.

RagoÛter (thieves’), to awake suspicion.

Raguse. See Coup.

Raide, adj. and m. (popular), drunk, “tight.” See Pompette. Raide comme balle, with the utmost rapidity. Filer —— comme balle, to disappear rapidly, “like winkin’,” or, as American thieves say, “to amputate like a go-away.” “This panny’s all on fire (house is dangerous). I must amputate like a go-away, or the frogs (police) will nail me.” La trouver ——, to be dissatisfied or offended. Je la trouve raide, it is coming it rather too strong. Raide comme la justice, completely drunk, or “drunk as a lord.”

Ces noceurs-lÀ Étaient raides comme la justice et tendres comme des agneaux. Le vin leur sortait par les yeux.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

Du ——, brandy, “French cream.” Termed “bingo” in old English cant. Siffler un verre de ——, to have a dram, “a drop o’ summat’ short, or a nail in one’s coffin.” The lower orders say to each other at the moment of lifting a glass of spirits to their lips, “Well, good luck! here’s another nail in my coffin.” Other phrases are “shedding a tear, or wiping an eye.”

Raideur, f. (popular), la faire À la ——, to give oneself dignified, “noli me tangere” airs.

Raidir (popular), or —— l’ergot, to die, “to snuff it.” See Pipe. To express that one is dead English and American thieves say that he has been “put to bed with a shovel.”

Played out they lay, it will be said

A hundred stretches (years) hence;

With shovels they were put to bed

A hundred stretches hence!

Thieves’ Song.

Raie. See Gueule.

Raille, f. and m. (thieves’), la ——, the police, the “reelers.” Etre ——, to be in the employ of the police, a “nose.”

C’est vrai, mais vous ne m’avez pas dit que vous Étiez raille (mouchard).—Vidocq.

Un ——, or railleux, police officer, or “copper;” a detective, or police spy.

Ils parlaient aussi des railles (mouchards). A propos de railles, vous n’Êtes pas sans avoir entendu parler d’un fameux coquin, qui s’est fait cuisinier (mouchard).—Vidocq.

Victor Hugo says the word comes from the English “rascal,” but Michel derives it with more reason from “raillon,” a kind of javelin with which the archers or police were armed formerly.

Ci gist et dort en ce sollier,

Qu’Amour occist de son raillon,

Ung pouvre petit escollier

Jadis nommÉ FranÇois Villon.

Le Grand Testament de FranÇois Villon.

RaisinÉ, m. (thieves’), blood. Properly jam made of grapes. Faire couler le ——, to shed blood.

Je suis sÛr que tu es marquÉ. Qu’avons-nous fait? Avons-nous tuÉ notre mÈre ou forcÉ la caisse À papa? Avons-nous fait suer le chÊne et couler le raisinÉ?—Th. Gautier.

(Popular) Faire du ——, to bleed from one’s nose.

Raisins, m. pl. (popular), huile de ——, wine; “red tape,” in the jargon of English thieves.

Auguste, un peintre en bÂtiment,

Qui travaillait en face,

Entre, et nous dit comm’ Ça m’z’enfans

J’ai l’gosier qui s’encrasse.

Faut y mettr’ de l’huil’ de raisin.

H. P. Denneville

Raisons, f. pl. (familiar and popular), avoir des —— avec quelqu’un, to have a quarrel with one.

RÂler (popular), to deceive, “to best;” to cheapen.

RÂleur, m. (second-hand booksellers’), person who handles the books without buying any, and generally one who bargains for a long time and buys nothing. Also liar.

RÂleuse, f. (shop-keepers’), female who cheapens many articles and leaves without having made a purchase. Also liar.

Rallie-papier, m. (familiar), paper chase on horseback.

Rama, parler en ——, formerly mode of using the word as a suffix to other words. The invention of the Diorama had brought in the fashion of using the word rama as stated above. It was much in vogue in Balzac’s time, and had been first used in the studios.

“Eh bien, Monsieur Poiret,” dit l’employÉ, “comment va cette petite santÉrama?”—Balzac.

(Convicts’) Mettre au ——, to place in irons.

Le soir, aprÈs la soupe, on nous mit au rama; nous Étions ÉtonnÉs. Ce n’Était pas l’habitude de nous enchaÎner sitÔt.—Humbert, Mon Bagne.

Ramamichage, m. (familiar), reconciliation.

Ramamicher (popular), to bring about a reconciliation.

Ramasser (military), de la boÎte, to be locked up.

J’ai mon truc À matriculer pour À c’soir; si c’est pas fait, j’ ramasserai de la boÎte.—G. Courteline.

Ramasser les fourreaux de bayonnette, to come up after the battle has been fought; (thieves’ and roughs’) —— les pattes, or filer une ratisse À un gas, to thrash one. See Voie. Ramasser un bidon, to make off, “to make beef.” See Patatrot. (Popular) Ramasser ses outils, to die, “to snuff it;” —— quelqu’un, to apprehend, “to nail” one; to thrash one. Se faire ——, to be locked up by the police, to be “run in;” to get a thrashing.

Si le patron m’embÊte, je te le ramasse et je te l’asseois sur sa bourgeoise, tu sais, collÉs comme une paire de soles!—Zola, L’Assommoir.

Ramasse-toi (popular), words addressed to a person who is talking incoherently.

Ramastiquer (thieves’), to pick up; to do the ring-dropping trick, or “fawney rig.” See Ramastiqueur.

Ramastiqueur, or ramastiquÉ, variety of thief, “money-dropper.” The rogue scrapes up an acquaintance with a dupe by inquiring about a coin or article of sham jewellery which he pretends to have just picked up in the street, and offers for sale, or otherwise fleeces the pigeon. Many of these rogues are rascally Jews. This kind of swindle is varied by dropping a pocket-book, the accomplice being termed in this case “heeler.” The heeler stoops behind the victim and strikes one of his heels as if by mistake, so as to draw his attention to the pocket-book. Also beggar who picks up halfpence in courts thrown to him from windows.

Les arcassineurs sont les mendiants À domicile. Les ramastiqueurs les mendiants de cours qui ramassent les sous. Les tendeurs de demi-aune, les mendiants des rues.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

(Popular) Ramastiqueur d’orphelins, poor wretch who goes about picking up cigar and cigarette ends, a “hard up.”

Rambiner (popular), to patch up old shoes.

Tout le monde sait que son pÈre rambinait les croknaux.—Le Tam-Tam.

Rambuteau, m. (familiar and popular), urinals on the boulevards. From the name of a prefect of police who caused them to be set up.

Ramener (familiar), to brush the hair forward to conceal one’s baldness. Il ramÈne, he is getting bald. Termed also “emprunter un qui vaut dix.”

Rameneur, m. (gamesters’), man of gentlemanly appearance, whose functions are to induce people to attend a gaming-house or gaming club.

Un personnel de rameneurs qui, membres rÉguliers du cercle, gentlemen en apparence ... ont pour mission de racoler ... ceux qui bien nourris À la table d’hÔte, seront une heure aprÈs dÉvorÉs À celle du baccara.—Hector Malot, Baccara.

The American “picker-up” somewhat corresponds to the “rameneur.” The picker-up takes his man to a gambling saloon, and leaves him there to be enticed into playing. The picker-up is always a gentleman in manners, dress, and appearance. He first sees the man’s name on the hotel register and where he is from. Many of the servants of hotels are in the pay of pickers-up, and furnish them with information concerning guests. (Familiar) Rameneur, old beau who seeks to conceal his baldness by brushing forward the scanty hair from the back of his head.

Rameneuse, f. (popular), girl who makes it a practice to wait for clients at the doors of cafÉs at closing time.

Ramicher, or ramamicher (popular), to bring about a reconciliation. Se ——, to be friends again.

Ramijoter (popular), to effect a reconciliation. Se ——, to make it up.

Ils se sont ramijotÉs (rÉconciliÉs); et d’aprÈs des mots de leur conversation, je rÉpondrais bien qu’il a couchÉ avec FÉlicitÉ.—Vidocq.

Ramollot, m. (familiar and popular), stupid old soldier. From a character delineated by Charles Leroy.

Ramonage, m. (popular), muttering nonsense.

Ramoner (popular), to mutter, to mumble. An allusion to the rumbling noise produced by sweeping a chimney. Se faire ——, to go to confession; to take a purgative. Also to get thrashed or scolded. Ramoner ses tuyaux, to run away. For synonyms see Patatrot.

Ramor, m. (Jewish tradespeople’s), fool, “flat.”

Rampant, m. (popular), priest, or “white choker;” Jesuit; steeple. Probably from the old signification of ramper, to climb, to ascend.

Rampante, f. (popular), church.

Rampe, f. (familiar), princesse de la ——, actress. Une pomme de ——, a bald head, or “bladder of lard.” (Theatrical) Se brÛler À la ——, to approach close to the footlights, and play as if no other actors were present. LÂcher la ——, to die. See Pipe.

Ramponner (popular), to drink, “to lush;” to get drunk, or “screwed.”

Rancart, m. (familiar), object of little value, “no great shakes.” (Thieves’) Faire un ——, to procure information.

RanckÉ, m. (thieves’), two-franc coin.

RangÉ des voitures, adj. (thieves’), is said of one who has become honest.

A vingt et un ans rangÉ des voitures.—From a thief’s letter.

Ranger (popular), se —— des voitures, to become honest. Is said also of a man who, after having sown his wild oats, leads a quiet life.

Rapapiotage, m. (popular), reconciliation.

Rapapioter (popular), to effect a reconciliation.

Rapapioteur, m. (popular), one by whose kind efforts a reconciliation is effected.

Rapatu, m. (thieves’), body-louse.

RÂpe, f. (thieves’), back. Used more in reference to a humpback.

RÂpÉ, m. and adj. (military), officer without any private means; (popular) —— comme la Hollande, very poor, “quisby.” An allusion to rÂper, to rasp, and Dutch cheese.

RÂper (popular), to sing, “to lip.” Also to sing in a monotonous fashion.

Rapiat, subst. and adj. (familiar and popular), stingy, “close-fisted, or near.” Termed “brum” at Winchester School. Une ——, a miserly woman.

C’est Égal, t’es une jolie fille; Ça faisait mal de te voir chez cette mauvaise rapiat de bonapartiste de mÈre LefÈvre.—Hector France.

Un ——, a native of Auvergne. The natives of each province of France are credited with some particular characteristics; thus, as seen above, the Auvergnats are said to be thrifty, stingy, miserly; the Normans thievish, fond of going to law; the Picards are hot-headed, of an irate disposition; the Bretons have a reputation for being pig-headed; the Gascons for possessing a mind fertile in resource, and for being great story-tellers—also for bragging; the Champenois is supposed to be stupid; the Parisians are “artful dodgers;” the Lorrains are, it is alleged, treacherous; and the natives of Cambrai are all mad. Hence the proverbial sayings: avare comme un Auvergnat; voleur comme un Normand; entÊtÉ comme un Breton; 99 moutons et un Champenois font cent bÊtes, &c. Again, among soldiers “un Parisien” is synonymous with a soldier who seeks to shirk his duty; sailors apply the epithet to a bad sailor, horsedealers to a “screw,” &c., &c.

Rapiot, m. (popular), patch on a coat or shoe; (thieves’) searching on the person, “frisking, or ruling over.” Formerly the term referred to the searching of convicts about to be taken to the hulks. Le grand ——, was the general searching of convicts. Michel says, “Il est À croire que ce mot n’est autre chose que le substantif rappel qui faisait autrefois rappiaus au singulier; mais le rapport entre une visite et un rappel? C’est que sans doute cette opÉration Était annoncÉs par une batterie de tambour.”

Rapioter (popular), to patch up.

Monsieur, faites donc rapioter les trous de votre habit.—Mornand.

(Thieves’) To search, “to frisk.”

Butons les rupins d’abord, nous refroidirons aprÈs la fourgate et nous rapioterons partout. Il y a gros dans la taule.—Vidocq.

Rapioteur, m., rapioteuse, f. (popular), one who patches up old clothes.

Georges Cadoudal, avant son arrestation, avait trouvÉ asile chez une jeune rapioteuse du Temple.—F. Mornand, La Vie de Paris.

Rapointi, m. (popular), clumsy, awkward workman.

Rappliquer (popular and thieves’), to return, “to hare it;” —— À la niche, or À la taule, to return home.

Tout est tranquille ... la sorgue est noire, les largues ne sont pas rappliquÉes À la taule, la fourgate roupille dans son rade.—Vidocq. (All “serene” ... the night is dark, the women have not returned home, the receiver sleeps inside his counter.)

RasÉ, or razi, m. (thieves’), priest. From his shaven crown.

Raser (familiar), to annoy, to bore one.

Nous avons ÉtÉ voir les Mauresques. Dieu! les avons-nous rasÉes avec nos plaisanteries.—Loriot.

Also to ruin one.

Elle s’est essayÉe sur le sieur Hulot qu’elle a plumÉ net, oh! plumÉ, ce qui s’appelle rasÉ.—Balzac.

(Shopmen’s) Raser, to swindle a fellow shop-assistant out of his sale; (sailors’) to tell “fibs;” to humbug.

Rase-tapis, m. (familiar), a horse that trots or gallops without lifting its feet much from the ground, “daisy-cutter.”

Raseur, m. (familiar), a bore.

Ce type est en mÊme temps un “raseur” de l’espÈce spÉciale dite “des dÉboutonneurs À histoires bien bonnes.” Vous savez bien ces braves gens À qui vous ne pouvez pas adresser la parole sans qu’ils vous rÉpondent par: “Je vais vous raconter une bien bonne histoire” et qui commencent immÉdiatement par vous arracher, un À un, les boutons de votre redingote.—Gil Blas.

(Shopmen’s) Raseur, one who swindles a fellow shop-assistant out of his sale.

Rasibus, m. (popular), le pÈre ——, the executioner. A play on the word raser, to shave.

Et le coup de la bagnole au pÈre Rasibus, quand il fouette les cadors au galop et que les cognes font un blaire.—Richepin.

Rasoir, m. and adj. (familiar and popular), bore; boring.

On commence À nous embÊter avec les bleus. Tout le temps les bleus, Ça devient rasoir À la fin; on nous prend trop pour de bonnes tÊtes.—G. Courteline.

Rasoir de Birmingham, superlative of bore. (Popular) Rasoir! expression of contemptuous refusal; may be rendered by the Americanism, “yes, in a horn.” Faire ——, to be penniless. (Gamesters’) Banque ——, gaming “banque” which has a run of luck, and in consequence leaves the players penniless. Faire ——, to lose all one’s money, “to blew” it. Ça fait ——, nothing is left.

Mangeux de tout; exceptÉ l’tien,

Car tu n’as rien; Ça fait rasoir.

Riche-en-gueule.

(Thieves’) Rasoir À Roch, or —— de la Cigogne, guillotine. M. Roch was formerly the executioner, and la Cigogne is the epithet applied to the PrÉfecture de Police. The knife of the guillotine was termed in ’93, “rasoir national.”

Raspail, m. (popular), brandy, “French cream,” and “bingo” in old English cant. Termed also “troix-six, fil-en-quatre, dur, raide, chenique, rude, crik, eau d’aff, schnapps, camphre, sacrÉ chien, goutte, casse-poitrine, jaune, tord-boyaux, consolation, riquiqui, eau de mort.”

Rassembler (military), se faire ——, to get reprimanded or punished.

RastacouÈre, or rastaquouÈre, foreign adventurer or swindler, generally hailing from the sunny south, or from South America, who lives in high style, of course at somebody or other’s expense.

La petite Raymonde D..., sa chÈre adorÉe, qu’on avait surnommÉe, je ne sais pourquoi, sa “chair À saucisses,” l’a lÂchÉ comme un vulgaire rastaquouÈre, pour se mettre avec un jockey.—Gil Blas.

Rat, m. (thieves’), young thief who is generally passed through a small aperture to open a door and let in the rest of the gang, or else conceals himself under the counter of a shop before the doors are closed, “little snakesman, or tool.”

He kept him small on purpose, and let him out by the job. But the father gets lagged.—Ch. Dickens, Oliver Twist.

Also thief who exercises his skill at inns or wine-shops. Courir le ——, to steal at night in lodgings, or at lodging-houses. Rat, thief who steals bread; —— de prison, barrister, or “mouthpiece.” Prendre des rats par la queue meant formerly to steal purses, when persons wore their purses at their girdles. A cut-purse was formerly called a “nypper.” A man named Wotton, in 1585, kept in London an academy for the education of pickpockets. Cutting them was a branch of the light-fingered art. Instruction in the practice was given as follows: a purse and a pocket were separately suspended, attached to which, both around and above them, were small bells; each contained counters, and he who could withdraw a counter without causing any of the bells to ring was adjudged to be a “nypper.” The old English cant termed cutting a purse, “to nyp a bunge.” Dickens, in Oliver Twist, shows Fagin educating the Dodger and Charley Bates by impersonating an old gentleman walking about the streets, the two boys following him and seeking to pick his pockets. (Popular) Rat de cave, excise officer, gauger; —— d’Égout, scavenger. (Ecole Polytechnique) Rat, student who is late; —— de pont, student whose total of marks at the final examination does not entitle him to an appointment in the corps of government civil engineers of the Ponts et ChaussÉes; —— de soupe, one late for dinner. From rater, to miss. (Familiar) Rat, or —— d’opÉra, young ballet dancer between the ages of seven and fourteen. (Sailors’) Rat de quai, man who looks out for odd jobs in harbours.

Etre ——, to be stingy, “close-fisted.”

Ce jeune rat—moins “rat” que son adversaire.—Gil Blas.

Rata, m. (general), kind of stew.

Le rata diminutif de ratatouille ... se compose de pommes de terre ... avec assaisonnement d’un morceau de lard ... en sociÉtÉ d’une botte d’oignons.—Dubois de Gennes.

La mÈre Nassau lui vocifÉra une longue kyrielle d’injures dont une partie sans doute lui avait ÉtÉ adressÉe À elle-mÊme le jour oÙ elle fut surprise crachant dans le rata.—H. France, La Pucelle de Tebessa.

Rata, used in a figurative sense, signifies a coarse, unmeaning article, or literary production.

Vous avez lu la lettre si digne de ——? Xau, poli, comme un marbre, a dÛ faire un signe d’assentiment, mais il est trop occupÉ pour absorber ce rata soi-disant naturaliste.—Gil Blas, 1887.

Rataconniculer (obsolete), to cobble. Referred also to the carnal act.

Ratafia de grenouille, m. (popular), water. Called, in the English slang, “Adam’s ale,” and the old term “fish broth,” as appears from the following:—

The churlish frampold waves gave him his belly-full of fish-broath.—Nashe, Lenten Stuff.

Ratapiaule, f. (popular), thrashing, “walloping.”

Ratapoil, m. (familiar), epithet applied to old soldiers of the First Empire, and generally to Bonapartists. Literally rat À poil.

Ratatouille, f. (familiar and popular), flanquer une ——, to thrash. See Voie.

Rateau, m. (popular), police officer. (Military) Faire son ——, to remain some time with the corps, as a punishment, at the expiration of the twenty-eight days’ yearly service as a rÉserviste.

RatiboisÉ, adj. (general), done for; ruined, “gone to smash.”

J’ai fait faillite comme un vrai commerÇant; ratiboisÉ ma chÈre.—Huysmans.

Ratiboiser (general), to take; to steal, “to prig.” See Grinchir. Termed in South Africa, “to jump.” An officer to whom a settler had lent a candlestick was recommended not to allow it to be “jumped,” mysterious words which at first were to him quite unintelligible. In the English jargon, “to jump” a man is to rob him with violence.

Ratiche, f. (popular and thieves’), church. Blaireau de ——, holy water brush or sprinkler.

Ratichon, m. (popular and thieves’), priest. Literally ratissÉ, rasÉ, alluding to his shaven face and crown. In old English cant, “rat, patrico.” Concerning the latter word see Sanglier. SerpilliÈre de ——, priest’s cassock.

J’avais de plus beaux sentiments sous mes guenilles qu’il n’y en a sous une serpilliÈre de ratichon.—V. Hugo.

Un —— de cambrouse, a village priest.

J’ai moi-mÊme une affaire avec deux amis de collÈge (prison) chez un particulier qui va tous les dimanches passer la journÉe chez un ratichon de cambrouse (curÉ de campagne).—Canler.

Un ——, a comb.

Ratichonner (popular), to comb one’s hair.

RatichonniÈre, f. (popular and thieves’), cloister, or any religious community.

Ratier, m. (tailors’), journeyman tailor who does night-work at home.

Ration de la ramÉe, f. (thieves’), prison food.

Ratisse, f. (thieves’ and roughs’), refiler une ——, to thrash. See Voie for synonyms.

RatissÉ, adj. (popular), exhausted, “gruelled.”

R’tourner À pied, fallait pas y penser, j’Étais ratissÉ et courbaturÉ d’m’Être balladÉ dans la foire.—G. Frison, Les Aventures du Colonel Ronchonot.

Ratisser (popular), en —— À quelqu’un, to mock, to laugh at one. Je t’en ratisse! a fig for you! Se faire —— la couenne, to get thrashed; to get oneself shaved. (Familiar) Se faire ——, to lose all one’s money at a game, to have “blewed it.”

Vous lui avez mÊme empruntÉ cinq louis ... quand vous avez ÉtÉ ratissÉ au baccarat.—J’ai ÉtÉ ratissÉ?—RaiguisÉ si vous voulez.—P. Mahalin.

Ratisseuse de colabres, f. (thieves’), guillotine. Colabre is the cant for neck.

Raton, m. (thieves’), very young thief, “little snakesman,” see Rat; (Breton cant) priest.

Rattrapage, m. (printers’), piece of composition which forms the complement of another.

Ravage, m. (popular), sundry pieces of metal found in the gutters or on the banks of the river.

Ravager (thieves’), to steal linen from a lavoir public, or washerwoman’s punt.

Ravageur, m. (thieves’), thief who exercises his industry on washerwomen’s punts established on the banks of the Seine; (popular) man who drags the banks of the river, or the gutters, in the hope of finding lumps of metal or other articles, a kind of “mudlark.” Concerning the latter term, the Slang Dictionary says a mudlark is a man or woman who, with clothes tucked above the knee, grovels through the mud on the banks of the Thames, when the tide is low, for silver or pewter spoons, old bottles, pieces of iron, coal, or any article of the least value, deposited by the retiring tide, either from passing ships or the sewers.

Ravaudage, m. (popular), faire du ——, to make love to several girls at a time, so as not to remain “in the cold.”

Raverta, m. (Jewish tradesmen’s), servant.

Ravescot, m. (obsolete), venereal act.

RavignolÉ, m. (thieves’), new offence.

Ravine, f. (popular), wound; scar.

RavinÉ, adj. (familiar), the worse for wear. Des dents ravinÉes, bad teeth.

Rayon, m. (popular), sur l’oeil, black eye, “mouse.” (Thieves’) Rayon de miel, lace, or “driz.”

Raze, or razi, m. (thieves’), priest, parson, “devil-dodger;” —— pour l’af, actor, “cackling cove, or faker.”

RÉac, m. (familiar and popular), Conservative.

C’Était À la Salamandre ou au SacrÉ Bock que se tenaient les inspecteurs masquÉs de la Commune ... Vermorel y Était traitÉ de bourgeois, Rochefort, de rÉac.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

RÉaffurer (thieves’), to win back.

RebÂtir (thieves’), un pante, to kill a man, “to give one his gruel, to quash.” Also “to hush.” You know, if I wished to nose (to peach), I could have you twisted (hanged); not to mention anything about the cull (man) that was hushed for his reader (pocket-book).

RÉbecca, f. (popular), impudent girl with a saucy tongue, a “sauce-box, or imperence.”

Rebecquat, m. (thieves’ and roughs’), insolence; resistance. Pas de —— ou bien je t’encaisse, don’t show your teeth, else I’ll give you a thrashing.

Rebectage, m. (thieves’), medicine; Cour de cassation. Se cavaler au ——, to appeal for the quashing of a judgment.

Rebecter (popular), se ——, to get reconciled.

Rebecteur, m. (popular), doctor, “pill-box;” surgeon, “sawbones.”

RebÉqueter (popular), to repeat; to ruminate.

Rebiffe, f. (thieves’), revolt; revenge; —— au truc, repeating an offence. Faire de la ——, to oppose resistance.

Rebiffer (popular and thieves’), to begin again; —— au truc, to return to one’s old ways, to be at the “old game” again; to do anything again.

“Tiens, mon petit, rebiffe au truc; c’est moi qui verse.” Elle rapporte un nouveau rafraÎchissement d’absinthe au chanteur.—Louise Michel.

Rebomber (familiar), se —— le torse, to recover one’s spent energy by taking refreshment.

Rebondir (popular), to turn out of doors, to expel. Envoyer ——, to turn out, to send to the deuce.

Rebonnetage, m. (popular), reconciliation; (thieves’) flattery, “soft sawder.”

Rebonneter (popular and thieves’), to flatter. The word bonneter was formerly used with nearly the same signification, and the English had a similar expression, “to bonnet,” used by Shakespeare:—

He hath deserved worthily of his country; and his ascent is not by such easy degrees as those who having been supple and courteous to the people, bonneted, without any further deed to heave them at all into their estimation and report.—Coriolanus.

Rebonneter pour l’af, to give ironical praise. Se ——, to console oneself. Also to be of better behaviour, to turn over a new leaf.

Rebonneteur, m. (thieves’), confessor.

Si ce que dit le rebonneteur (confesseur) n’est pas de la blague, un jour nous nous retrouverons lÀ-bas.—Vidocq.

Rebonnir (thieves’), to say again.

Reboucler (thieves’), to re-imprison.

Rebouis, adj. and m. (thieves’), dead, said of one who has been “put to bed with a shovel;” corpse, “cold meat, or pig;” shoe, “trotter-case.” English thieves call cleaning their boots “japanning their trotter-cases.”

Rebouiser (thieves’), to kill, “to give one his gruel,” see Refroidir; to patch up a shoe. Rabelais termed this “rataconniculer,” and also uses the word with another signification, as appears from the following:—

Et si personne les blasme de soi faire rataconniculer ainsi sus leur grosse, vu que les bestes sus leurs ventrÉes n’endurent jamais le masle masculant, elles respondront que ce sont bestes, mais elles sont femmes.—Gargantua.

Also to notice, to gaze on.

Faut pas blaguer, le treppe est batte;

Dans c’taudion i’s’trouve des rupins.

Si queuq’s gonziers traÎnent la savate,

J’en ai r’bouisÉ qu’on d’s escarpins.

Chanson de l’Assommoir.

Rebouiseur, m. (popular), cobbler, in old French “taconneur;” old clothes man who repairs second-hand clothes before selling them.

Rebours, m. (roughs’), moving of one’s furniture on the sly, “shooting the moon.”

Recaler (artists’), to correct. (Popular) Se ——, to recover one’s strength, and generally to improve one’s outward appearance.

DÉdÈle s’r’cale les joues et Trutru r’prend des forces pour masser d’plus belle.—Le Cri du Peuple.

Also to better one’s position.

Recarrelure, f. (popular), meal.

Recarrer (popular), se ——, to strut.

RÉcent, adj. (popular), avoir l’air ——, to walk steadily though drunk.

Recevoir (popular), la pelle au cul, to be dismissed from one’s employment, “to get the sack;” (military) —— son dÉcompte, to die, “to lose the number of one’s mess.”

RechÂsser (popular), to survey attentively, “to stag;” to see. From chÂsse, eye.

RÉchauffante, f. (thieves’), wig, “periwinkle;” (military) great coat.

RÉchauffer (popular), to annoy, to bore.

RÈche, m. (popular), a sou.

RÉcidiviste, m. (familiar), old offender. According to a new law, repeating a certain specified offence makes one liable to be transported for life.

ReÇoit-tout, m. (popular), chamber-pot, or “jerry.”

RecollardÉ, adj. (thieves’), caught again.

Recoller (popular), to be convalescent. Se ——, to have a reconciliation with a woman, and cohabit with her again.

Reconduire (theatrical), to hiss, “to goose, or to give the big bird;” (popular) —— quelqu’un, or faire la conduite À quelqu’un, to thrash one, “to wollop.” (Military) Se faire ——, to be compelled to retreat in hot haste.

Reconnaissance, f. (printers’), thin flat ruler of metal or wood used by printers.

Reconnebler (thieves’), to recognize.

C’est bon, je vois bien que je suis reconneblÉ (reconnu) et qu’il n’y a pas moyen d’aller À Niort (de nier).—Canler.

Reconobrer (thieves’), to recognize. Me reconobres-tu pas? Don’t you know me again?

Il faut d’abord dÉfrimousser ces gaillards-lÀ de maniÈre À ce qu’ils ne soient pas reconobrÉs.—Vidocq. (We must at first disfigure these here fellows, so that they may not be known.)

Recoquer (popular), se ——, to recover one’s strength; to dress oneself in new attire. From coque, hull.

RecordÉ, adj. (thieves’), killed, “hushed.”

Recorder (thieves’), to warn one of some impending danger; to kill one, “to quash, to hush.” Se ——, to plot, to concert together.

Recourir À l’ÉmÉtique (thieves’), to get forged bills discounted.

Recuit, adj. (popular), ruined again.

RÉcurer (popular), la casserole, or se ——, to take a purgative. Se faire ——, to be under treatment for syphilis.

Redam, m. (thieves’), pardon. From rÉdemption.

Redin, m. (thieves’), purse, “skin.” The word has the same signification in the Italian jargon, and comes from retino, small net. Hence reticule, a lady’s bag, corrupted into ridicule.

Redoublement, m. (thieves’), de fiÈvre, fresh charge brought against a prisoner who is being tried for an offence; —— de fiÈvre cÉrÉbrale, fresh charge against a prisoner who is being tried for murder.

Pour peu que des parrains ne viennent pas leur coquer un redoublement de fiÈvre cÉrÉbrale, ma largue et mes gosselines se tireront de ce mauvais pas.—Vidocq.

Redouiller (popular), to push back; to repel; to ill-treat, “to manhandle.”

Redresse, f. (thieves’), Être À la ——, to be cunning, knowing, “downy.”

I am ... we all are, down to the dog. And he’s the downiest one of the lot—Ch. Dickens.

Mec À la ——. See Mec. Chevalier de la ——, professional parasite, spunger, “quiller.”

Redresseur, m. (obsolete), thief, pickpocket, “fogle-hunter.” In old English cant, “foyster.”

Redresseuse, f. (obsolete), prostitute and thief, “mollisher.”

RÉduit, m. (thieves’), purse, “skin.”

RÉemballer (popular), to imprison afresh.

Refaire (familiar and popular), to dupe, “to do.”

Z... un autre journaliste, aprÈs avoir longtemps bohÉmisÉ, carottÉ, refait tous ses camarades.—A. Sirven.

Refaire au mÊme, to pay back in the same coin, to give a Roland for an Oliver. Se ——, to recoup one’s losses at a game. (Popular) Refaire dans le dur, to dupe, “to bilk.” Se —— le torse, to have refreshment. (Thieves’) Se —— de sorgue, to have supper.

Refait, adj. (general), Être ——, to be duped, or “done.”

La voiture remonte pÉniblement la chaussÉe. Le cocher, qu’on a pris le matin et qui a peur d’Être refait, juronne entre ses dents.—P. Mahalin.

(Thieves’) Etre —— sans donjon, to be apprehended again as a rogue and vagabond.

Refaite, f. (thieves’), meal; —— du matois, breakfast; —— de jorne, dinner; —— de cÔni, last sacraments of the church; —— du sÉchoir, meal after a funeral; —— de sorgue, supper.

Je vous dis que lorsque j’ai quittÉ le tapis, il allait achever sa refaite de sorgue et qu’il venait de donner l’ordre de seller son gaye.—Vidocq.

Refaiter (thieves’), to partake of a meal.

Refaitier, m. (thieves’), master of a victualling house, “boss of a grubbing ken.”

Reffoler (thieves’), to steal by surprise.

RefilÉ, m. (popular), aller au ——, to confess. Ne pas aller au ——, to deny.

Refiler (thieves’), to restore; to give, “donnez.”

Au clair de la luisante,

Mon ami Pierrot,

Refile-moi ta griffonnante,

Pour broder un mot.

Ma camouche est chtourbe,

Je n’ai plus de rif;

DÉboucle-moi ta lourde

Pour l’amour du Mec.

Au Clair de la Lune en Argot.

Refiler, to pass from one person to another, “to sling;” to pass on to a confederate by throwing, “to ding;” —— un pante, to dog a man, “to pipe;” (popular) —— des beignes, to strike one on the face, “to fetch one a wipe in the mug;” —— une ratisse, to thrash, “to wallop;” —— une poussÉe, to hustle, “to shove;” —— la pÂtÉe, to feed. S’en —— sous le tube, to take a pinch of snuff.

Refondante, f. (thieves’), lucifer match, “spunk.”

Refouler (popular), to refuse; to hesitate; —— au travail, to leave off working; —— À Bondy, to rudely send one about his business. It is to Bondy that the contents of cesspools are conveyed.

RÉfractaire, m. (familiar), more or less talented man who will not bend to the fashion or ideas of the day.

Refroidi, m. and adj. (thieves’), corpse, “cold meat;” dead, “easy.”

Refroidir (thieves’), to kill.

Les chiens bourrÉs de boulettes, Étaient morts. J’ai refroidi les deux femmes.—Balzac.

Refroidir À la capahut, to kill an accomplice for the purpose of robbing him of his share of booty. From the name of a celebrated bandit, the head of a large gang of murderers named “chauffeurs,” who spread terror towards the year III. of the Republic, in the vicinity of Paris. The different modes of taking life are expressed thus: “chouriner, or suriner, estourbir, scionner, buter, basourdir, faire un machabÉe, faire flotter, crever la paillasse, laver son linge dans la saignante, dÉvisser le trognon, faire suer un chÊne, or faire suer le chÊne coupÉ, capahuter, dÉcrocher, descendre, Ébasir, endormir, couper le sifflet, watriniser, entailler, entonner, estrangouiller, tortiller la vis, tourlourer, terrer, cÔnir, expÉdier, faire, faire la grande soulasse, rebÂtir, sauter À la capahut, sonner, lingrer, envoyer ad patres, dÉmolir, moucher le quinquet, saigner, sabler, tortiller le gaviot, faire banque, Érailler, escarper, suager, faire le pante au machabÉe;” in the English slang, “to settle his hash, to cook his goose, to give one his gruel, to quash, to hush.”

RÉgaler (popular), ses amis, to take a purgative; —— son cochon, to treat oneself to a good dinner, to have a “tightener;” —— son suisse is said of two playing for drink, who win an equal number of games; (thieves’) —— la veuve, to set up the guillotine.

Regargarde! (thieves’), look! “nark!”

RÉgatte, f. (rag-pickers’), meat.

Regatter (rag-pickers’), to eat, “to grub.”

RÉgiment, m. (popular), des boules de Siam, Sodomites. S’engager dans le —— des cocus, to marry, “to get spliced.” (Military) Le chien du ——, the adjutant.

Reginglard, m. (popular), thin, sour wine.

Registre, m. (printers’), faire le ——, to pour out the contents of a bottle so that each has an equal share.

RÉglette, f. (printers’), arroser la ——, to pay for one’s footing.

RÉglisse. See Jus.

Regon, m. (thieves’), debt.

Regonser (thieves’), to dog, “to pipe.”

RegoÛt, m. (thieves’), unpleasantness.

Il faut espÉrer que l’ouvrage de la chique aura ÉtÉ maquillÉ sans regoÛt.—Vidocq.

Du ——, uneasiness; remorse; fear. Faire du ——, to make revelations.

Reguicher (thieves’), to attack.

V’lÀ qu’on me tire par la jambe; j’me cavale, mais y zÉtaient du monde, on me reguiche, je m’ai dÉfendu et me v’lÀ.—Louise Michel.

RÉguisÉ, or raiguisÉ, adj. (popular), Être ——, to be thrashed; swindled; ruined, or “smashed;” to be deceived, or “done;” to be sentenced to death.

RÉguiser, or raiguiser (popular), to thrash; to ruin.

Rejacter (thieves’), to say again.

RÉjouissance, f. (familiar), bones placed into the scale by butchers with the meat and charged as meat. Une femme qui a plus de —— que de viande, a bony, skinny woman.

Relanceur de pleins, m. (thieves’), variety of card-sharpers.

Relevante, f. (thieves’), mustard.

RelÈve, f. (popular), Être À la ——, to be in better circumstances.

Relever (popular), la ——, or relever le chandelier, to live on a prostitute’s earnings. From the practice of placing the fees of such women under a candlestick.

Releveur, m. (popular), de fumeuse, blackguard who lives on a prostitute’s earnings, “pensioner.” See Poisson. (Thieves’) Releveur de pÉsoche, money collector.

Relicher (popular), to toss down a glass of wine or liquor; to kiss. Se ——, or se —— le morviau, to kiss one another.

ReliÉ, adj. (popular), dressed. Etre ÉlÉgamment ——, to sport fine clothes.

Relingue, m. (thieves’), old offender.

Il y avait lÀ des relingues (rÉcidivistes), allant voir ce qui leur arriverait un jour ou l’autre.—Louise Michel.

Relinguer (thieves’), to stab repeatedly.

Reliquer (thieves’), to say.

Qu’as-tu reliquÉ?—Qu’il Était venu seul.—Louise Michel.

Reluire dans le ventre (popular), to make one’s mouth water.

Reluit, m. (thieves’), day, or “lightmans;” eye, or “ogle.” See Chasser.

Reluquer (popular and thieves’), to gaze, “to stag;” to look attentively, “to dick.” Le sergo nous reluque, the policeman has his eye on us, “the bulky is dicking.” Reluquer une affaire, to contemplate a theft.

Il y a deux ou trois affaires que je reluque, nous les ferons ensemble.—Vidocq.

Les jours oÙ il lansquine, il y a un tas de pantes À reluquer les flÛtes des gonzesses qui carguent leurs ballons. When it is raining, there are a lot of fellows who look at the legs of the girls who tuck up their clothes. The old French had relouquer and reluquer with the same signification. The Norman patois has “louquer,” which reminds one of the English to look.

Reluqueur, m. (popular), one who plays the spy, a “nose.”

Reluqueuse, f. (popular), opera glass.

Remaquiller (popular and thieves’), to do again.

RemballÉ, retoquÉ, or requillÉ (students’), Être ——, to be disqualified at an examination, “to be spun, or ploughed.”

Rembarbe, or ranquessÉ, m. (thieves’), rentier, that is, man of independent means.

Rembourrer (familiar), se —— le ventre, to make a good meal, “to have a tightener.”

Rembrocable, adj. (thieves’), perceptible, visible.

Rembrocage de parrain, m. (thieves’), act of bringing one into the presence of a witness.

Rembrocant, m. (thieves’), looking-glass.

Rembroquer (thieves’), to recognize.

RÊme, m. (thieves’), one who scolds, who growls, a “crib-biter.”

RemÈde d’amour, m. (popular), ugly face, or “knocker-face.”

Remercier son boulanger (familiar and popular), to die, “to kick the bucket.” For synonyms see Pipe.

Beauvallet, d’une voix tonnante.—Le pauvre homme! comment, il a “claquÉ?”

ArsÈne Houssaye.—Mon Dieu, oui, il a “dÉvissÉ son billard,” comme on dit À la cour.

Mademoiselle Augustine Brohan.—Vous vous trompez, mon cher directeur.... A la cour de NapolÉon III., on dit maintenant: il a “remerciÉ son boulanger.”—P. Audebrand.

The above conversation, according to the author of Petits MÉmoires d’une Stalle d’Orchestre, took place at the ThÉÂtre FranÇais, of which M. ArsÈne Houssaye was then the manager. To explain this invasion of the Parisian jargon in the house of MoliÈre, it must be said, that it coincided with the publication of a decree by M. Achille Fould, then Secretary of State. Being aware that the idiom of the hulks and gutter was used to an alarming extent on the Parisian stage, his Excellency had declared that the Government, declining to be an accomplice of these literary misdemeanours, had prohibited the use of the degrading lexicology, and had ordered a “commission de censure” (whose functions are somewhat similar, in theatrical matters, to those of the Lord Chamberlain in England) to taboo any play offering such enormities. The injunction had been specially enforced with respect to the ThÉÂtre FranÇais as being the official guardian of the purity of the French language and the leading playhouse. But the offended comedians, in retaliation, began to affect making use of the “langue verte.”

Remettez donc le couvercle (roughs’), a polite invitation to one who has an offensive breath to cease talking.

Remisage, m. (thieves’), place kept by a receiver of stolen property, chiefly vehicles of every description.

Dans les remisages ... vont s’engouffrer tous les camions, voitures, carrioles volÉs, pendant que les chevaux s’en vont au marchÉ, et que les victimes sont dÉjÀ au fond de l’eau!—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Remiser (popular), le fiacre À quelqu’un, to shut one up.

Comme il a voulu faire du pÉtard, j’y ai salement remisÉ son fiacre.—G. Courteline.

Remiser son fiacre, to hold one’s tongue; to die. Se faire ——, to get sat upon.

Remiseur, m. (thieves’), a receiver of stolen property, or “fence.”

Remisier, m. (familiar), tout at the Stock Exchange.

RÉmone, f. (popular), faire de la ——, to bluster.

RÉmonencq, m. (literary), old clothes man; marine store dealer. A character of Balzac’s La ComÉdie Humaine.

RemontÉe, f. (popular), afternoon.

Remonter (popular), sa pendule, to occasionally chastise one’s better half; —— le tournebroche, to remind one of the non-observation of some rule.

Remorque, f. (boulevardiers’), se laisser aller À la ——, is said of a man who allows himself to be enticed into inviting a girl to dinner.

Remouchage, m. (thieves’), revenge.

Remoucher (thieves’), to revenge oneself; to kill, “to hush;” (popular and thieves’) to look, “to ogle.”

Remouche le pante, “ogle the cove.” Remoucher, to spy, “to nose.”

Tandis que je le remouchions À la Porte Saint-Denis, il est sorti par la barriÈre des Gobelins.—Bizet.

Remouchicoter (popular), to go about in quest of a love adventure, or seeking to pick a quarrel with anyone.

Rempardeuse, f. (popular), prostitute who frequents the ramparts.

Remplir le battant (popular), to eat, “to grub.”

Remplumer (popular), se ——, to grow fat; to grow rich, to become “rhino fat.”

Remporter une veste (popular), to be unsuccessful.

Remue-pouce, m. (thieves’), money, “dinarly.”

Remuer (thieves’), la casserole, to be in the police force, a detective being termed “cuisinier.” (Popular) Remuer, to stink; —— la commode, to sing.

En v’lÀ un qui vous bassine, À remuer la commode ses dix heures par jour!—Rigaud.

Remueur de casseroles, m. (thieves’), spy, informer, “nark.”

Ce nouveau copain-lÀ ne me dit rien de bon; je crois que nous brÛlons et que nous avons affaire À un remueur de casseroles.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

RenÂchÉ, m. (thieves’), cheese, “casey.”

RenÂclant, m. (thieves’), nose, “snorter.” See Morviau.

RenÂcle, f. (thieves’), the police.

Ils nous regardÈrent effrontÉment; ils dirent aprÈs avoir vidÉ deux verres de mÊlÉ-cassis: attention, la renÂcle (la police) est en chasse.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

RenÂcler (popular), to scold; to grumble; to feel disinclined.

De temps en temps, quand les clients renÂclent, il vide lui-mÊme sa coupe en levant les yeux au ciel avec tous les signes de la bÉatitude.—Hector France, Les Va-nu-pieds de Londres.

The word has passed into the language. Also to be afraid.

Quoi de plus propre en effet À faire renÂcler les poivrots.—La petite Lune.

RenÂcleur, m. (popular), grumbler, “crib-biter;” (thieves) police officer, or “reeler;” detective, “nark, or nose.”

Et comme vous Êtes des renÂcleurs venus pour nous boucler, vous allez aussi Éternuer avec la largue et ses jobards.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Renaissance, f. (popular), shoddy.

Renard, m. (popular), apprentice; mixture of broth and wine.

Il va prendre son renard: un bouillon et une chopine de vin dedans.—Le Sublime.

Also vomit. Piquer un ——, to vomit, “to shoot the cat.” Queue de ——, vomited matter. (Thieves’) Renard, spy at the hulks. (Booksellers’) Renard, valuable work found by an amateur at a bookstall among worthless books.

Renarder (popular), to vomit, “to shoot the cat.”

Vous me permettrez de renarder dans le Kiosque.—Balzac.

Termed formerly “chasser, or escorcher le regnard.”

Et tous ces bonnes gens rendoyent lÀ leurs gorges devant tout le monde, comme s’ilz eussent escorchÉ le regnard.—Rabelais.

Cotgrave translates this expression by “to spue, cast, vomit (especially upon excessive drinking); either because in spuing one makes a noise like a fox that barks; or (as in escorcher) because the flaying of so unsavory a beast will make any man spue.”

RenarÉ, m. (popular), crafty man, “sly blade, or sharp file,” one who is “fly to wot’s wot.”

Renaud, m. (thieves’), trouble.

La nuit derniÈre, j’ai rÊvÉ de greffiers, c’est signe de renaud.—Vidocq. (Last night I dreamt of cats, that’s a sign of trouble.)

Renaud, reproach; uproar; row. Faire du ——, to scold; to cause a disturbance.

C’est Ça! c’est pas bÊte; il faut Être sÛr avant de faire du renaud (du tapage).—Vidocq.

Renauder (popular and thieves’), to be in a bad humour, to be “shirty;” to grumble.

Ne renaude pas, viens avec nousiergue. Allons picter une rouillarde encible.—V. Hugo, Les MisÉrables. (Do not be angry, come with us. Let us go and have a bottle of wine together.)

Also to be threatening, to show one’s teeth.

OhÉ les aminches! c’est bientÔt qu’on va casser la g... À ces feignants de socialisses. C’qu’on leur z’y esquintera les abatis, ah, malheur!... Et qu’ils n’renaudent pas, si y voulaient fourrer leurs pattes sales su l’manteau impÉrial, si y tÂchaient d’embÊter les abeilles, elles auraient bien vite fait d’y rÉpondre: miel!—Gil Blas, 1887.

Renaudeur, m. (thieves’), grumbler, or “crib-biter.”

Rencontre, f. (thieves’), faire À la ——, to butt one in the stomach. Fabriquer un gas À la ——, À la flan, or À la dure, to attack and rob a man at night, “to jump a cull.”

Rende, rendÈme, rendÉmi, m. (thieves’), vol au ——, theft which consists in requesting a tradesman to give change for a coin laid on the counter and dexterously whisked up again together with the change.

RendÈve, m. (popular), rendez-vous.

Rendez-moi (thieves’), vol au ——, or faire le rendÈme. See Rende.

RendoublÉ, adj. (thieves’), full; said of one who has eaten a hearty meal, who has had a “tightener.” Un roulant —— de camelote, a cabful of goods.

Rendre (tailors’), sa bÛche, to give up a piece of work to the master tailor; to die; (military) —— sa canne au ministre, to die; (bohemians’) —— sa clef, to die; (popular) —— son livret, to die; —— son permis de chasse, to die. See Pipe. Rendre le tablier is said of a servant who gives notice; —— visite À M. Du Bois, to ease oneself, “to go to the chapel of ease;” —— ses comptes, to vomit, “to cast up accounts.”

RÊne, f. (familiar), prendre la cinquiÈme ——, to seize hold of the mane of one’s mount to save oneself from a fall.

Renfoncement, m. (popular), blow with the fist, “bang.”

Renfrusquiner (popular), se ——, to dress oneself in a new suit of clothes.

Reng, m. (thieves’), hundred.

Rengainer son compliment (popular), is said of one who stops short when about to say or do something.

Rengoler (roughs’), to return, to re-enter; —— À la caginotte, to go home.

RengrÂcier (thieves’), to repent and forsake evil ways.

Je suis lasse de manger du collÈge (de la prison), je rengrÂcie (je m’amende), veux-tu boire la goutte?—Vidocq.

RengrÂcier, to cease.

RengrÂciez alors, mauvais escarpes de grand trime, ma filoche vous passera devant le naze.—Vidocq.

Also to hold one’s tongue, “to mum one’s dubber.”

Reniflant, m. (thieves’), nose, “snorter.” See Morviau.

Reniflante, f. (popular), boot out at the sole and down at the heel.

Renifler (popular), to hesitate; to refuse; to drink, “to sluice one’s gob;” —— la poussiÈre du ruisseau, to fall into the gutter. Bottines qui reniflent l’eau, leaky boots. La —— mal, to stink. Renifler sur le gigot, to hesitate; (billiards’) —— sa bille, to screw back.

Reniflette, f. (thieves’), police, the “frogs.” I must amputate like a go-away (decamp in hot haste), or the frogs will nail (apprehend) me, and if they do get their fams (hands) on me, I’ll be in for a stretch of air and exercise (year’s hard labour). Le pÈre ——, the head of the police.

Renifleur, m. (thieves’), police officer, “crusher.” Le pÈre des renifleurs, the prefect of police. Renifleur de camelotte À la flan, rogue who steals articles from shop-windows.

Renifleurs, m. pl. (obscene). The celebrated physician Tardieu, in his Etude MÉdico-lÉgale sur les Attentats À la Pudeur, says:—

Renifleurs, qui in secretos locos, nimirum circa theatrorum posticos, convenientes quo complures feminÆ ad micturiendum festinant, per nares urinali odore excitati, illico se invicem polluunt.

Reniquer (popular), to be in a rage, “to have one’s monkey up.”

Renquiller (thieves’), to re-enter, to return home.

Tu as donc oubliÉ que le dabe qui est allÉ ballader sur la trime avec les fanandels ne renquillera pas cette sorgue.—Vidocq. (Then you forget that father, who is on the road with the pals, will not return home to-night.)

(Printers’) Renquiller, to grow stout; to succeed; to get rich.

Renseignement, m. (boating men’s), prendre un ——, to have a glass of wine or liquor, “to smile, or to see the man,” as the Americans say.

Rentier À la soupe, m. (popular), workman.

Rentiffer (thieves’), to enter; to return, “to hare it.”

Rentoiler (popular), se ——, to recover one’s strength after having suffered from illness.

RentrÉ dans ses bois, adj. (popular), Être ——, to wear wooden shoes.

Rentrer (popular), bredouille, to return home quite drunk; —— de la toile, to take rest on account of old age. Literally to take sail in. (Medical students’) Rentrer ses pouces, to die. (Gamesters’) Rentrer, to lose.

Un joueur qui perd, dit: je suis rentrÉ! S’il est aprÈs plusieurs parties, dans une dÉveine persistante, il dit: je suis engagÉ!—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Renversant, adj. (familiar), c’est ——! astounding! wonderful! “stunning!”

Renverser (popular), to vomit, “to cast up accounts;” —— son casque, to die; (familiar) —— la marmite, to discontinue giving dinners.

RÉpandre (popular), se ——, to fall sprawling; to die.

RÉparation de dessous le nez, f. (popular), drinking and eating.

Il y aurait un roman en plusieurs volumes À Écrire sur ce bonhomme, qui a fait tous les mÉtiers, et qui a, comme Panurge, trente-trois faÇons de gagner son argent, et soixante-six de le dÉpenser, sans compter la rÉparation de dessous le nez.—Richepin, Le PavÉ.

Repas de l’Âne, m. (popular), faire le ——, to drink only at the conclusion of a meal.

Repasse, f. (popular), bad coffee.

Repasser (popular), to give; —— la chemise de la bourgeoise, to chastise one’s better half.

Oh! ce n’est rien! je repasse la chemise de ma femme.—Huysmans.

Repasser le cuir À quelqu’un, to thrash, or “tan” one; —— une taloche À quelqu’un, to give one a slap in the face, “to fetch one a wipe in the mug.”

Repaumer (popular), to apprehend anew; to take back.

RepÉrir (popular), to watch, “to nark;” (thieves’) to find again.

RepÉsigner (thieves’), to re-catch, to re-apprehend.

RÉpÉter (popular), or aller À la rÉpÉtition, to make a double sacrifice to Venus. (Theatrical) RÉpÉter en robe de chambre, or dans ses bottes, to practise repeating one’s part only for the sake of learning the words, without attempting the stage effects.

Repic, m. (thieves’), beginning again, relapse. Le —— de relingue, fresh offence.

Le machabÉe Était restÉ au bord de l’eau. C’est sur moi qu’on farfouille le repic de relingue.—Louise Michel.

Repiger (popular), to catch again.

Repioler (thieves’), to re-enter a house; to go home, “to speel to the crib.”

Repiquer (popular), to retake courage; to get out of some scrape; to go to sleep again; —— sur le rÔti, to have another drink.

ReplÂtrÉe, f. (popular), woman with an outrageously painted face.

Reporter, verb and m. (popular), son fusil À la mairie, to be getting old. An allusion to the limit of age for obligatory service in the old national guard. Reporter son ouvrage is said of a doctor who attends at a patient’s funeral. (Familiar) Reporter À femmes, one who reports on the doings of cocottes.

Terminons cette variÉtÉ ... par ce grand diable de reporter À femmes, fournisseur brevetÉ des feuilles pornographiques.... Les drÔlesses friandes de scandale le tutoient et lui offrent À souper en Échange de quelques lignes ou d’une biographie.—A. Sirven.

Reposante, f. (thieves’), chain. Il y a une —— À la lourde, there is a chain on the door.

Reposoir, m. (popular), lodging-house, or “dossing-crib.” Les reposoirs, feet, or “dew-beaters.”

Les pieds s’appellent des “reposoirs;” les mains, des “battoirs;” la figure, une “binette;” les bras, des “allumettes;” la tÊte, une “trompette;” les jambes, des “flÛtes À cafÉ; “et l’estomac, une “boÎte À gaz.”—Les Locutions Vicieuses.

(Thieves’) Reposoir, place tenanted by a receiver of stolen property.

Le reposoir, tenu par le fourgat, est un lieu de recel pour le criminel qui ne travaille qu’en ville.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Also a low eating-house, wine-shop, or lodging-house for prostitutes.

Paris, en dÉpit de ses dÉmolitions ... renferme toujours des Tapis francs comme au temps d’EugÈne Sue; leurs noms seuls ont changÉ; ce sont des Bibines, des Reposoirs, des Assommoirs dont le ChÂteau-Rouge, rue de la Calandre, possÈde en fait d’alphonses, d’escarpes ou de gonzesses, la fleur du panier.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Repoussant, m. (thieves’), musket, or “dag.”

Repousser (popular), du goulot, du tiroir, or du corridor, to have an offensive breath.

Reprendre du poil de la bÊte (popular), to continue the previous evenings debauch, “to have a hair of the dog that bit you.”

Reptile, m. (familiar), journalist in the pay of the government.

RÉpublique. See Cachet.

Requiller. See Retoquer.

Requin, m. (thieves’), custom-house officer; (popular) —— de terre, lawyer, “land-shark, or puzzle-cove.” The Slang Dictionary also gives the expression “sublime rascal” for a “limb of the law.”

Requinquer (popular), se ——, to dress oneself in a new suit of clothes.

Devine qui j’ai rencontrÉ ... la petite modiste ... et requinquÉe ... je ne te dis que Ça.—P. Mahalin.

RÉserve, f. (theatrical), free tickets kept in reserve.

C. est bon, ... il doit avoir une rÉserve sur laquelle il consentira bien À me donner deux fauteuils.—Echo de Paris.

RÉservoir, m. (popular), rÉserviste, or soldier of the reserve.

RÉsinon, m. (popular), midnight meal. Probably an allusion to torchlight.

Resolir (thieves’), to resell.

Respecter ses fleurs (popular), to defend one’s virginity against any attempt.

Respirante, f. (thieves’), mouth. BÂcle ta ——, shut your mouth, “button your bone-box.”

Resserrer son linge (popular), to die, “to snuff it.” For synonyms see Pipe.

Ressorts, m. pl. (popular), woman’s privities, (Delvau.) Une commode À ——, a carriage, or “cask.” (Thieves’) Un crucifix À ressorts, a dagger, “chive.”

Restaurant À l’envers, m. (popular), privy, “Mrs. Jones.”

Rester (popular), en —— baba, to be astounded, or “flabbergasted.” Rester en figure, to be at a loss for words. (Prostitutes’) Rester dans la salle d’attente À reconnaÎtre ses vieux bagages, to return home late at night without a client.

Restituer en doublure (popular), to die, “to snuff it.” For synonyms see Pipe.

Restitution, f. (obsolete), faire ——, to vomit, “to cast up accounts.”

ResucÉe, f. (popular), thing which has already been said or heard.

RÉsurrection, f. (popular and thieves’), la ——, the prison of Saint-Lazare, in which prostitutes and unfaithful wives are incarcerated.

Retape, f. (general), the act of a prostitute seeking clients.

C’Était la grande retape, le persil au clair soleil, le raccrochage des catins illustres.—Zola.

Aller À la ——, or faire la ——, to walk the streets or public places for purposes of prostitution. La —— also refers to the act of men who are the protectors of abandoned women, and procure clients for them in a manner described by the following:—

Il faut, toutefois, classer À part une variÉtÉ d’hommes entretenus qui se livrent À une industrie qu’on nomme la “retape” ... ils servent de chaperons. Tout chamarrÉs de cordons et de croix, ils sont presque toujours ÂgÉs.... Leur prÉtendue maÎtresse ou leur soi-disant niÈce est censÉe tromper leur surveillance jalouse.—LÉo Taxil.

(Thieves’) Aller À la ——, to lie in ambush for the purpose of robbing or murdering wayfarers.

RetapÉ, adj. (popular), well-dressed.

Retaper (popular), se faire —— les dominos, to have one’s teeth looked to, and deficiencies made good.

Retapeuse, f. (popular), street-walker, “mot.”

Retenir (popular). Je te retiens pour la premiÈre contre-danse, you may be sure of a thrashing directly I get a chance.

Retentissante, f. (popular and thieves’), bell, “ringer, or tinkler.” Acresto, il y a une ——, dÉvide-la. Look out, there’s a bell, break the hammer.

Retiration, f. (printers’), Être en ——, to be getting old.

Retirer (thieves’), l’artiche, or le morlingue, to pick the pockets of a drunkard, “to pinch an emperor of his blunt.”

Retoquer (students’), to disqualify one at an examination, “to spin.” Etre retoquÉ, to fail to pass an examination, “to be ploughed.” About twenty years ago “pluck,” the word then used, began to be superseded by “plough.” It is said to have arisen from a man who could not supply the examiner with any quotation from Scripture, until at last he blurted out, “And the ploughers ploughed on my back, and made long furrows.” “Etre retoquÉ” may also be rendered into English slang by “to be plucked.” The supposed origin of “pluck” is that when, on degree day, the proctor, after having read the name of a candidate for a degree, walks down the hall and back, it is to give any creditor the opportunity of plucking his sleeve, and informing him of the candidate being in debt. Un retoquÉ du suffrage universel, an unreturned candidate for parliament.

Retour, m. (police and thieves’), cheval de ——, old offender who has been convicted afresh, “jail-bird.”

Un vieux repris de justice, un “cheval de retour,” comme on dit rue de JÉrusalem, n’eÛt pas fait mieux.—Gaboriau.

Also one who has been a convict at the penal servitude settlement.

Ce n’est pas non plus le bouge sinistre de Paul Niquet,... dont ces mÊmes tables et ce mÊme comptoir voyaient les mouches de la bande À Vidocq, en quÊte d’un grinche ou d’un escarpe, trinquer avec les bifins ... les chevaux de retour (forÇats libÉrÉs).—P. Mahalin.

(Popular) L’aller et le —— et train rapide, the act of slapping one’s face right and left, or kicking one on the behind.

Retourne, f. (gamesters’), trumps. Chevalier de la ——, card-sharper, or “magsman.”

Retourner (popular), sa veste, or son paletot, to fail in business, “to be smashed up;” to die, “to snuff it.” S’en ——, to be getting old. De quoi retourne-t-il? What is the matter at issue? (Roughs’) Retourner quelqu’un, to thrash one. See Voie. (General) Retourner sa veste (the expression has passed into the language), to become a turncoat, or “rat.” The Slang Dictionary says the late Sir Robert Peel was called the Rat, or the Tamworth Rat-catcher, for altering his views on the Roman Catholic question. From rats deserting vessels about to sink. The term is often used amongst printers to denote one who works under price. Old cant for a clergyman.

RÉtrÉci, m. (popular), stingy man, one who is close-fisted.

Retrousseur, m. (popular), prostitute’s bully, “ponce.” For the list of synonyms see Poisson.

RÉussi, adj. (familiar), well done; grotesque.

Revendre (thieves’), to reveal a secret, “to blow the gaff.”

RÉverbÈre, m. (popular), head, or “tibby.” See Tronche. Etre au ——, to be on the watch, on the look-out.

Moi aussi je suis au rÉverbÈre et mes mirettes ne quitteront pas les siennes dÈs que le pante aura passÉ la lourde du train.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Revers, m. (card-sharpers’), faire un ——, to lose purposely so as to encourage a pigeon.

Reversis, m. (popular), jouer au ——, formerly referred to the carnal act.

Revidage, m. (dealers in second-hand articles), faire le ——, to share among themselves after a sale goods which they have bought at high prices to prevent others from purchasing them. The share of each is called “paniot.”

Revider, to perform the “revidage” (which see).

Revideurs, m. pl., marine store-dealers who employ the mode called “revidage” (which see).

RÉvision. See Revidage.

Revoir la carte (popular), to vomit, “to cast up accounts.”

RÉvolution, f. (card-players’), score of ninety-three points. An allusion to the revolution of ’93.

Cependant, Mes-Bottes, qui regardait son jeu, donnait un coup de poing triomphant sur la table. Il faisait quatre-vingt-treize. J’ai la RÉvolution, cria-t-il.—Zola.

Revolver À deux coups, m. (roughs’), see Flageolet.

Revoyure, f. (military), jusqu’À la ——! till we meet again!

VoilÀ, les fantassins! jusqu’À la revoyure! et le chasseur poussa son cheval.—Bonnetain, L’Opium.

Revue, f. (military), de ferrure refers to the action of a horse which plunges and kicks out; —— de pistolets de poche, a certain sanitary inspection concerning contagious diseases.

Revueux, m. (journalists’), a writer of “revues,” or topical farces.

Revure, f. (popular), À la ——! goodbye! till we meet again!

Ribler (obsolete), to steal; to swindle; to steal at night.

Item, je donne À frÈre Baulde,

Demourant À l’hostel des Carmes,

Portant chÈre hardie et baulde,

Une sallade et deux guysarmes,

Que de Tusca et ses gens d’armes

Ne luy riblent sa Caige-vert.

Villon.

Ribleur, m. (obsolete), pickpocket; night-thief. From ribaldi, rogues.

A fillettes monstrans tetins,

Pour avoir plus largement hostes;

A ribleurs meneurs de hutins,

A basteleurs traynans marmottes,

A fol et folles, sotz et sottes,

Qui s’en vont sifflant cinq et six,

A veufves et À mariottes,

Je crye À toutes gens merciz.

Villon.

Riboui, m. (popular), second-hand clothes dealer.

Ribouit, m. (thieves’), eye, “ogle.”

Ribouler des calots (popular and thieves’), to stare, “to stag.”

Riche, adj. (popular), Être ——, to be drunk, or “tight.” For synonyms see Pompette. Etre —— en ivoire, to have a good set of teeth. Un homme —— en peinture, a man who passes himself off as a rich man.

Richommer, or richonner (thieves’), to laugh.

Rideau, m. (popular), rouge, wine-shop. An allusion to the red curtains which formerly adorned the windows of such establishments. Rideaux de Perse, torn curtains. A play on the word percÉ, pierced. (Thieves’) Rideau, long blouse, a kind of smockfrock worn by workmen and peasants.

Nous somm’s dans c’goÛt-lÀ toute eun’ troupe,

Des lapins, droits comme des bÂtons,

Avec un rideau sur la croupe,

Un grimpant et des ripatons.

Richepin.

(Theatrical) Lever le ——, to be the first to appear on the stage at a music-hall or concert.

Ses artistes sont les SociÉtaires des cafÉs-concerts, car l’artiste qui “lÈve le rideau” touche dÉjÀ 300 francs par mois.—MaÎtre Jacques.

Ridicule, m. (military), endosser le ——, to put on civilians’ clothes.

Rien, m. and adv. (thieves’), un ——, a police officer. (Popular) Rien, very, extremely. C’est —— chic, it is first-class, “real jam.” Il est —— paf, he is extremely drunk. C’est —— folichon! how funny! N’avoir —— de dÉchirÉ, to have yet one’s maidenhead.

Il fallait se presser joliment si l’on voulait la donner À un mari sans rien de dÉchirÉ.—Zola, L’Assommoir.

Rien-du-tout, f. (popular), girl or woman of indifferent character.

Une boutique bleue À cette rien-du-tout, comme si ce n’Était pas fait pour casser les bras des honnÊtes gens!—Zola.

Rif, or riffle, m. (thieves’), fire. From the Italian jargon ruffo. De ——, without hesitation.

Riffaudant, m. (thieves’), cigar.

Riffaudante, f. (thieves’), flame.

Riffaudate, m. (thieves’), conflagration.

Riffauder (thieves’), to warm; to blow one’s brains out.

A bas les lingres, tas de ferlampiers, ou je vous riffaude.—Vidocq. (Down with the knives, ruffians, else I’ll blow your brains out.)

Faire ——, to cook. Se ——, to warm oneself. Le marmouzet riffaude, the pot is boiling. Riffauder, to burn.

Ah! pilier, que gitre ÉtÉ affurÉ gourdement, car le cornet d’Épice a riffaudÉ ma luque oÙ Étaient les armoiries de la vergne d’Amsterdam en Hollande; j’y perds cinquante grains de rente.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.

Riffaudeur, m. (thieves’), incendiary. Les riffaudeurs, better known under the name of “chauffeurs,” were brigands who, towards 1795, overran the country in large gangs, and spread terror among the rural population. They besmeared their faces with soot, or concealed them under a mask. They burned the feet of their victims in order to compel them to give up their hoardings. The government of the Directoire was powerless against these organized bands, and it was only under Bonaparte’s consulate in 1803 that they were hunted down and captured by the military. Le —— À perpÈte, the devil, or “Ruffin.”

Riffer. See Riffauder.

Riflard, m. (familiar and popular), umbrella, “mush.” From the name of a character in a play by Picard. (Thieves’) Riflard, rich man, or “ragsplawger;” fire. (Masons’) Compagnon du ——, mason’s assistant. Le riflard signifies a shovel. (Popular) Des riflards, old leaky shoes.

Riflardise, f. (popular), stupidity.

Riflart, m. (obsolete), police officer. From Rifler (which see).

Rifle, m. (thieves’), fire.

Nous serions mieux je crois devant un chouette rifle que dans ce sabri (bois) oÙ il fait plus noir que dans la taule du raboin (la maison du diable).—Vidocq.

Coquer le ——, to set afire. Ligotte de ——, strait-jacket. See Coup.

Rifler (thieves’), to burn; (popular) to take; to steal, “to nick.” Compare with the English to rifle. The word is used by Villon in his Jargon Jobelin. Rifler du gousset, to emit a strong odour of humanity.

RiflÉs, or riffaudÉs, m. pl. (old cant), rogues who used to go soliciting alms under pretence of having been ruined through the destruction of their homes by fire.

RiflÉs ou riffaudÉs, sont ceux qui triment avec un certificat qu’ils nomment leur bien: ces riflÉs toutimes menant avec sezailles leurs marquises et mions, feignant d’avoir eu de la peine À sauver leurs mions du rifle qui riflait leur creux.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.

Riflette, f. (roughs’ and thieves’), detective, or “nose.” Acresto, la riflette nous exhibe. Look out, the detective is looking at us.

Rifolard, adj. (popular), amusing, funny.

Rigade, rigadin, or rigodon, m. (popular), shoe, “trotter-case.” See Ripaton.

He applied himself to a process which Mr. Dawkins designated as “japanning his trotter-cases.”—Ch. Dickens.

Rigolade, f. (popular and thieves’), amusement.

Etre À la ——, to be amusing oneself. Coup de ——, lively song. EnfilÉ À la ——, dissolute fellow. Rigolage is used with the same signification in Le Roman de la Rose, by Guillaume de Lorris and Jehan de Meung.

Rigolbochade, f. (popular), droll action; amusement, “spree;” much eating and drinking.

Rigolboche, adj. (popular), amusing; funny.

Parfait!... TrÈs rigolo!... rigolboche! rÉpondait le petit sÉnateur.—Dubut de Laforest.

Une ——, female habituÉe of public dancing-halls. From the name of a female who made herself celebrated at such places.

Un ——, a feast, “a tightener.”

On va trimbaler sa blonde, mon vieux; nous irons lichoter un rigolboche À la Place Pinel.—Huysmans.

Rigolbocher (popular), to have a feast, or drinking revels.

Tu seras de nos tournÉes, et aprÈs la reprÉsentation, nous rigolbocherons.—E. Monteil.

Rigolbocheur, adj. and m. (popular), funny; licentious.

Un ——, one fond of fun, of amusement, of revelling.

Rigole, f. (thieves’), good cheer.

Rigoler (familiar and popular), to amuse oneself. From rigouller.

Et lÀ sus l’herbe drue dansarent au son des joyeux flageolets, et doulces cornemuses, tant baudement que c’estoit passetemps cÉleste les voir ainsi soi rigouller.—Rabelais, Gargantua.

Also to laugh.

Rigoler comme une tourte, to laugh like a fool.

Rigolette, f. (popular), female habituÉe of low dancing saloons.

Rigoleur, m. (popular), one joyously disposed and fond of the bottle, a “jolly dog.”

Rigolo, m. and adj. (gamblers’), a swindle, explained by quotation:—

Il n’avait plus qu’À surveiller les mains de cet aimable banquier pour voir ... s’il ne ferait pas passer de sa main droite dans sa main gauche une portÉe prÉparÉe À l’avance—un “cataplasme,” si cette portÉe Était Épaisse; un “rigolo” si elle Était mince.—Hector Malot, Baccara.

An allusion to the mustard plasters of Rigolo. (Popular) Rigolo, amusing, funny.

Moi j’emmÈne mes deux exotiques chez Coquet, au cimetiÈre Montmartre. C’est rigolo en diable.—P. Mahalin.

Il est rien ——! he is so amusing! Rigolo pain de seigle, or pain de sucre, extremely amusing.

Retour des choses d’ici-bas.—Rigolo pain de sucre, Ça par exemple!—E. Monteil.

Rigolo, short crowbar used by housebreakers. Termed also “biribi, l’enfant, sucre de pommes, or Jacques,” and, in the English slang, “James, Jemmy, the stick.” Also a revolver. Acresto, rigolo! Be on your guard! he’s got a revolver.

Rigouillard, m. (printers’), funny, amusing fellow.

Rigri, m. (popular), over-particular man; stingy man, “hunks.”

Riguinguette, f. (popular), cigarette. Griller une ——, to smoke a cigarette.

Rince-crochets, m. (military), extra ration of coffee.

RincÉe, f. (popular), thrashing, “walloping.” See Voie.

Rincer (popular), to thrash; to worst one at a game; —— la poche, to ease one of his money.

Dans les cours il y en a qui achÈvent de se griser, de bons jeunes gens qu’elles lÂchent aprÈs avoir rincÉ leurs poches.—P. Mahalin.

Se —— l’oeil, to look on with pleasure. Se —— l’avaloir, le bec, le bocal, la gargoine, la corne, la cornemuse, le cornet, la dalle, la dalle du cou, la dent, le fusil, le goulot, le gaviot, le sifflet, le tube, la trente-deuxiÈme, la gargarousse, to drink. The synonyms to describe the act in various kinds of slang are: “se passer un glacis, s’arroser le jabot, s’affÛter le sifflet, se gargariser le rossignolet, se laver le gÉsier, sabler, sucer, licher, se rafraÎchir les barres, se suiver, pitancher, picter, siffler le guindal, graisser les roues, pier, fioler, Écoper, enfler, se calfater le bec, se blinder, s’humecter l’amygdale or le pavillon, siffler, flÛter, renifler, pomper, siroter, biturer, Étouffer, asphyxier, se rafraÎchir les barbes, s’arroser le lampas, se pousser dans le battant, pictonner, soiffer;” and in the English slang: “to wet one’s whistle, to have a gargle, a quencher, a drain, something damp, to moisten one’s chaffer, to sluice one’s gob, to swig, to guzzle, to tiff, to lush, to liquor up.” The Americans to describe the act use the terms, “to see a man, to smile.” Se faire rincer, to lose all one’s money at a game, to “blew” it. Se faire —— la dalle, to get oneself treated to drink. Rincer la dent, to treat one to drink.

Rincette, f. (familiar), brandy taken after coffee.

Rinceur de cambriole, m. (thieves’), housebreaker, or “buster.”

Le voleur À la tire, le rinceur de cambriole, ceux qui font la grande soulasse sur les trimards, mÈnent une vie charmante en comparaison.—Th. Gautier.

Rincleux, m. (popular), miserly man, “hunks.”

Ringuer (sporting), to be a bookmaker. From the English word ring, used by French bookmakers to denote their place of meeting.

Ringueur, m. (sporting), bookmaker.

Riole, or riolle, f. (popular and thieves’), river; brook; (popular) joy; amusement. Etre en ——, to be out “on the spree.”

Ouvriers en riolle, soldats en bordÉes, bourgeois en goguette et journalistes en cours d’observations.—P. Mahalin.

Etre un brin en ——, to be slightly tipsy, “elevated”

(Thieves’) Aquiger ——, to find amusement.

Ripa, or ripeur, m. (thieves’), river-thief.

Ripaton, or ripatin, m. (popular), foot, “crab, dew-beater, or everlasting shoe.” Also shoe.

La pittoresque Échoppe du savetier ... oÙ l’on voit, pÊle-mÊle entassÉs, le lourd ripaton du prolÉtaire, le rigadin ÉculÉ du voyou, la bottine claquÉe de la petite rentiÈre.—Richepin, Le PavÉ.

The synonyms are: “croqueneaux, bateaux, pÉniches, trottinets, trottins, cocos, pompes, bateaux-mouches, rigadins, escafignons, tartines, bichons, paffes, passants, paffiers, passes, bobelins, flacons, sorlots, passifs;” and in the English slang: “trotter-cases, hock-dockies, grabbers, daisy-roots, crab-shells, bowles.” Jouer des ripatons, to run. See Patatrot.

Ripatonner (popular), to patch up old shoes.

Riper (popular), to have connection.

Ripeur, m. (popular), libertine, “rip.”

Ripioulement, m. (thieves’), bedroom, “dossing-crib.”

Ripiouler (thieves’), to sleep, “to doss.”

RipopÉe, or ripopette, f. (popular), worthless article; mixture of wine left in glasses, or which flows on the counter of a wine-retailer.

Riquiqui, m. (popular), brandy of inferior quality, see Tord-boyaux; thing badly done, or of inferior quality. Avoir l’air ——, is said of a woman attired in ridiculous style, who looks like a “guy.”

Rire (popular), comme une baleine, to open, when laughing, a mouth like a whale’s; —— comme un cul, to laugh with lips closed and cheeks puffed out; —— comme une tourte, to laugh like a fool. Entendre —— de l’argenterie, to ring a bell. Faire —— les carafes, to say such absurd things as to make the most sedate persons laugh. (Theatrical) Rire du ventre, to shake one’s sides as if in the act of laughing.

Risquer un verjus (popular), to discuss a glass of wine or brandy at the bar of a wine-shop.

Rivancher (thieves’), to make a sacrifice to Venus.

Termed formerly “river.”

Rive gauche, f., (students’), a part of Paris, on the left bank of the Seine, wherein are situated the University higher colleges and schools, such as l’Ecole de MÉdecine, l’Ecole de Droit, la Sorbonne, le CollÈge de France, &c.

J’en viens de ce coin de Paris qu’on a appelÉ jadis le pays latin puis le quartier latin et ensuite le quartier des Écoles et qui aujourd’hui s’intitule simplement la rive gauche.—Didier, Echo de Paris, 1886.

River. See Pieu, Rivancher.

Rivette, f. (popular and thieves’), prostitute, or “punk.” See Gadoue. Also name given by Sodomites to wretches whom they plunder under threats of disclosures.

La rivette se rÉcrie; le faux agent persiste, s’emporte, jure ... il finit par obtenir une somme d’argent.—LÉo Taxil.

Riz-pain-sel, m. (military), anyone connected with the commissariat, a “mucker.”

Les deux hommes tenaient conseil. T’as entendu ce qu’a dit le colonel?—C’est pas un colonel, c’est un riz-pain-sel. Ça y fait rien.... Faut en finir avec nos deux particuliers. Nous allons leur brÛler la gueule d’un coup de flingot.—Bonnetain, L’Opium.

Robaux, or roveaux, m. pl. (old cant), gendarmes. Attrimer les ——, to run away from gendarmes, to show them sport. The term seems a corruption of royaux.

Rober (thieves’), to steal; to steal a man’s clothes. This is the old form of dÉrober, which formerly signified to disrobe, and nowadays to purloin. ProvenÇal raubar. Compare with the English to rob. See Grinchir.

Robignol, adj. (thieves’), extremely amusing; extremely good.

Robinson, or pÉpin, m. (popular), umbrella, “mush.”

Rochet, m. (thieves’), bishop; priest, or “devil-dodger.”

Rogne, adj. and f. (familiar and popular), Être ——, to be in a rage, “to be shirty.” Avoir des rognes avec un gas, to have a quarrel. Flanquer la ——, to get one in a rage. Properly rogne signifies itch, mange, and it stands to reason that anyone suffering from the ailment would naturally be in anything but a good humour.

Les hÔtes de la posada, intimidÉs et mÉfiants, nous prenant pour des bandits, “avaient la frousse” selon l’expression pittoresque de L. M. qui, mourant de faim, comme d’habitude, dÉclara furieux que cette rÉception lui “flanquait la rogne,” surtout lorsqu’il vit la vieille mÉgÈre, horrible compagnonne, faire signe À son mari de charger le tromblon.—Hector Franck, A Travers l’Espagne.

Avoir la ——, to be out of temper, or “riled.” A person is then said to have his “monkey up.” An allusion to the evil spirit which was supposed to be always present with a man, but more probably to the unenviable state of mind of a man who should have such a malevolent animal firmly established on his shoulders, comparable only to the maddening sensation expressed by “avoir un rat dans la trompe,” i.e., “to be riled,” to be badgered.

Rogner (thieves’), to guillotine. Literally to pare off. (Popular) Rogner, to be in a rage.

L’infirmier se fout À rogner, naturellement.—Comment, qu’y dit, vous osez dire Ça.—G. Courteline.

Rogneur, m. (military), fourrier, or non-commissioned officer employed in the victualling department. Literally one who gives short commons, paring off part of the provisions.

Rognon, m. (popular), un sale ——, a lousy, or “chatty” person. Applied especially to a low woman. (Familiar) Rognon, facetious term applied to a man with a big sword across his loins. Literally un rognon brochette, broiled kidney.

La lame, sans fourreau, attachÉe dans le dos par une double chaÎne pouvant se croiser sur la poitrine... Il entre et un spectateur l’assassine de ce mot: “Tiens, un rognon brochette! “—A. Germain, Le Voltaire.

Rognures, f. pl. (theatrical), inferior actors. See Fer-blanc.

Rogommier, m. (popular), a brandy-bibber.

Rogommiste, m. (popular), retailer of brandy.

Roi de la mer, m. (popular), prostitute’s bully, “ponce.” See Poisson.

Romagnol, or romagnon, m. (thieves’), hidden treasure.

Romain, m. (familiar), “claqueur,” or man paid to applaud at a theatre. An allusion to the practice of certain Roman emperors who had a kind of choir of official applauders.

Les Romains de Paris n’ont rien de commun avec les habitants de la ville aux sept collines.... Leur champ de bataille, c’est le parterre du thÉÂtre ... en un mot les romains sont ces mÊmes hommes que l’on nommait vulgairement autrefois des claqueurs.—Balzac.

Romaine, f. (popular), scolding. Also a mixture of rum and orgeat.

Romamitchel, romanitchel, or romanichel, m. (thieves’), gipsy. Romnichal in England, Spain, and Bohemia has the signification of gipsy man, and romne-chal, romaniche, is a gipsy woman. In England Romany is a gipsy, or the gipsy language—the speech of the Roma or Zincali Spanish gipsies, termed Gitanos. “Can you patter Romany?” i.e., Can you talk “black,” or gipsy “lingo.” See FilendÈche.

Romance. See Camp.

Rome, f. (thieves’), aller, or passer À ——, to be reprimanded.

Romilly. See InsurgÉ.

Romture, or rousture, f. (thieves’), man under police supervision.

Ronchonner (popular), to grumble; to mutter between one’s teeth.

Ronchonneur, m., ronchonneuse, f. (popular), grumbler.

Elle m’en veut donc toujours la vieille ronchonneuse?—Zola.

Rond, m. and adj. (popular), a sou. Termed also “rotin.”

Avoir le ——, to have money; to be well off, or “well ballasted.” Pousser son ——, to ease oneself by evacuation. Rond, drunk, or “tight;” —— comme balle, comme une bourrique, or comme une boule, completely tipsy, or “sewed up.” See Pompette.

(Familiar) Un —— de cuir, employÉ; clerk, or “quill-driver.”

Rondache, f. (thieves’), ring, “fawney.”

Rondelets, m. pl. (obsolete), small breasts.

Rondement (obsolete), chier ——, not to hesitate, to act with resolution, without dilly-dallying.

Pardienne, mamselle, vous l’avez dÉjÀ fait. A quoi bon tant tortiller.... Il faut chier rondement, et ne pas faire les choses en rechignant.—Isabelle Double, 1756.

Rondier, m. (thieves’), watchman, or overseer at the hulks. From faire une ronde, to go one’s rounds.

Rondin, m. (popular), lump of excrement, or “quaker;” (popular and thieves’) five-franc coin.

—Et combien qu’Ça coÛte, ste bÊte?

—Un rondin, deux balles et dix Jacques.

—N... de D...! Sept livres dix sous!—Vidocq.

Rondin jaune, gold coin, “yellow boy;” —— jaune servi, gold coin stolen and then stowed away.

Ah! s’il voulait cromper ma sorbonne (sauver ma tÊte), quelle viocque (vie) je ferais avec mon fade de carle (ma part de fortune), et mes rondins jaunes servis (et l’or que je viens de cacher).—Balzac, La DerniÈre Incarnation de Vautrin.

Rondine, f. (thieves’), ring, or “fawney;” walking-stick; ball.

Rondiner (thieves’), to cudgel one; (popular) to spend money. From rond, a sou; —— des yeux, to stare.

Rondinet, m. (thieves’), ring, “fawney.”

Rond-point-des bergÈres, m. (roughs’), the Halles, or Paris market.

RondquÉ, m. (popular), one sou.

Ronflant, adj. (thieves’), well-dressed. Is also said of one who has a well-filled purse.

Ronfle, f. (popular), jouer À la ——, to sleep soundly and to snore. (Thieves’) Ronfle, prostitute, or “punk;” woman, or “blowen;” —— À grippart, same meaning.

Ronfler (popular), faire —— Thomas, to ease oneself. (Thieves’) Une poche qui ronfle, a well-filled pocket, one “chockful of pieces.”

A cette Époque, quand un voleur avait fait un coup, quand la poche ronflait, toute sa bande se rendait au Lapin Blanc, boire, manger, faire la noce aux frais du meg.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

Ronfler À cri, to pretend to sleep.

Ronge-pattes, m. (popular), child, or “squeaker.”

Rongeur, m. (familiar), or ver rongeur, cab taken by the hour. Paris cabs generally go at a snail’s pace, with consequent increase of fare.

Roquille, f. (popular), one-fourth of a setier, or eighth part of a litre.

Rosbif de rat d’Égout! m. (roughs’), insulting epithet. Might be rendered by “you skunk!”

HÉ! dis donc, Éclanche de bouledogue, rosbif de rat d’Égout, tu vas te faire taper sur la rÉjouissance.—A. Scholl, L’Esprit du Boulevard.

Rose des vents, f. (popular), breech, “blind cheek” in the English slang.

RosiÈre de Saint-Laze, f. (popular), for Saint-Lazare, an inmate of the prison of Saint-Lazare, which serves for prostitutes and unfaithful wives. Properly une “rosiÈre,” or rose queen, is a virtuous, well-behaved maiden. At Nanterre and other country places a maid is proclaimed rosiÈre at a yearly ceremony in which the authorities play their part, the famous pompiers of the not less famous song being one of the most important factors in the pageant.

Rossaille, f. (horse-dealers’), worthless horse, “screw.”

Rossard, m. (familiar and popular), man with no heart for work, a “bummer.”

Rosse, f. (familiar and popular), lazy fellow. Etre ——, to be cantankerous, ill-natured.

Une ——, a peevish, stubborn, or lazy woman.

Rossignante, f. (old cant), flute.

Rossignol, m., or carouble, f. (thieves’), picklock, or “betty;” (familiar) any inferior article left unsold. The expression specially refers to books.

Rossignoler (thieves’), to sing, “to lip.”

Rossignoliser (familiar), to sell articles without any value, or soiled articles.

Rosto, m. (Ecole Polytechnique), gas-lamp. From the name of General Rostolan, who introduced the gas apparatus into the establishment.

Roter (popular), en ——, to be astounded. Literally to belch for astonishment.

En disant que ... les soldats n’Étaient pas de la charcuterie, qu’on traitait les chiens mieux que Ça; enfin, un boniment À ne pas s’y reconnaÎtre. La soeur en rotait!—G. Courteline.

En —— le fond de son caleÇon, superlative of “en roter,” to be “flabbergasted.” Je montrais À des touristes AmÉricains toutes les merveilles de la ville, ils en rotaient le fond de leur caleÇon. I showed some American tourists all the curiosities of the town; they were utterly astounded.

RÔti, m., formerly brand on convict’s shoulder.

Rotin, m. (popular), sou. Termed also “flÈche, pÉlot.” (Card-sharpers’) Flamboter aux rotins, termed also “consolation anglaise,” variety of swindling card trick.

RÔtisseuse, f. (popular), roast chicken. Exhibe la ——, look at the chicken.

Rototo, m. (popular), coller du ——, to cudgel, “to larrup.” Rototo! expression of contempt or refusal.

RouÂtre, m. (thieves’), bacon, “sawney.” Jack speeled to the crib (went home) when he found Johnny Doyle had been pulling down sawney (bacon) for grub.

Roubignole, f. (card-sharpers’), small ball made of cork and used at a swindling game.

Roubignoleur, m. (card-sharpers’), swindler who plays at “roubignole” (which see).

Roublage, m. (thieves’), deposition of a witness.

Roublard, adj. and m. (thieves’), ugly; inferior, “rot;” “quyer,” in old English cant; police officer, or “reeler.” SoufflÉ par les roublards et ballonnÉ À la pointue, taken by the police and imprisoned in the dÉpÔt de la PrÉfecture. Un ——, a cunning fellow, “an artful dodger.”

(Prostitutes’) Roublard, rich man, one who possesses roubles, “rhino, fat.”

Roublardise, f. (familiar and popular), cunning; trickery.

Les roublardises de la politique la laissaient froide.—Hector France, La Pudique Albion.

Roubler (thieves’), to make a deposition; —— À la manque, to make a deposition against one, or a false one. A false witness is called by English thieves “a rapper.”

Roubleur, m. (thieves’), witness.

Rouchi, m. (familiar and popular), man of repugnant manners or morals; low cad, “rank outsider.”

Rouchie, m. (familiar and popular), low, abandoned girl or woman, “draggle-tail;” dirty, disgusting woman.

Roue, f. (popular and thieves’), de derriÈre, thune, or palet, silver five-franc piece. Le messiÈre a dÉgaÎnÉ une roue de derriÈre, the gentleman has given a five-franc piece. In the English slang a crown is termed a “hind coach-wheel,” and half-a-crown a “fore coach-wheel.”

Ils ouvraient des quinquets grands comme des roues de derriÈre en nous reluquant d’un air ÉpatÉ.—Richepin.

Roue de devant, two-franc piece.

RouÉ, m. (thieves’), juge d’instruction; (card-sharpers’) swindler who handles the cards at the three-card game, his confederate being termed “amorceur.”

Rouen, m. (obsolete), aller À ——, to be ruined, “to go a mucker.” A play on the word ruiner. Envoyer À ——, to ruin. Michel records the following expressions formed by a similar play on words: Aller À “Dourdan,” to be beaten (old word dourder, to beat); aller À “Versailles,” to be upset (from verser); aller en “AngoulÊme,” to eat (from en and gueule); aller À “Niort,” to deny (from nier, to deny); aller À “Patras,” to die (from ad patres); aller À “Cachan,” to conceal oneself (from cacher). To kill was expressed by envoyer À “Mortaigne.” It used to be said of a person conjugally deceived, that he travelled in “Cornouaille,” alluding to the horns. An ignorant man was said to have received his education at “AsniÈres” (Âne). A threat of dismissal was made in the words “envoyer À l’abbaye de Vatan.” A madman was a native of “Lunel,” &c. (Theatrical) Aller À Rouen, to be hissed, “to get the big bird.”

Rouffier, m. (thieves’), soldier. The old English cant had the word “ruffler” to designate beggars pretending to be old or maimed soldiers, and who robbed or even murdered people. From the Italian ruffare, to seize.

Rouffion, m. (shopmen’s), shop-boy at a haberdasher’s. “Rouffionne,” shop-girl.

Rouffionner (popular), to break wind; —— sans dire fion, to do so without apologizing.

Rouffle, f. (thieves’), blow, “wipe.” Also a kick.

RoufflÉe, f. (military), a terrible thrashing, after which one is “knocked into a cocked hat.”

Rouflaquette, f. (familiar and popular), lock of hair worn twisted from the temple back towards the ear, “aggerewaters, or Newgate knockers.”

“When men,” says the Slang Dictionary, “twist the hair on each side of their faces into ropes, they are sometimes called ‘bell-ropes,’ as being wherewith to draw the belles. Whether ‘bell-ropes’ or ‘bow-catchers,’ it is singular they should form part of a prisoner’s adornment.” These ornaments in France are sported only by prostitutes’ bullies, who on that account are termed “rouflaquettes.”

Rouge, adj. and m. (obsolete), cunning, “downy.” The expression is used as a cant word by Villon, 15th century.

So the proverb, “il est mÉchant comme un Âne rouge,” signifies he is as vicious as a cunning donkey. The expression “les plus rouges y sont pris,” the most cunning are deceived, is to be found in Cotgrave. The Latins used the word ruber with the figurative signification of cunning. Faire tomber le ——, to have an offensive breath. Faire ——, to have one’s menses. (Thieves’), Lampion ——, police officer, or “reeler.” See Pot-À-tabac. C’est —— de boudin, the thing goes wrong, matters look bad. (Military) Les culs rouges, the chasseurs and hussars, a corps of light cavalry with red pants. Similarly, the English hussars are termed “cherry-bums.”

Rougemont, m. (thieves’), pivois de ——, red wine, “red fustian.”

Rouget, m. (popular), man with reddish hair. Les rougets (obsolete), better explained by the following:—

Pour les ordinaires des femmes, les mois, les menstrues, les dÉcoulements lunaires des femmes.—Le Roux.

(Thieves’) Rouget, copper.

Rougiste, m. (literary), one fond of Stendhal’s style of writing. An allusion to his famous work, Le Rouge et le Noir.

Rougoule. See Rendez-moi.

Rouillarde, or rouille, f. (thieves’), bottle, “bouncing cheat;” bottle of old wine. From rouler.

Roulance, f. (printers’), great noise made by stamping of feet or rattling of hammers when a brother compositor enters the workshop. This ceremony is complimentary or the reverse, as the case may be.

Roulant, m. (popular), pedlar who sells articles of clothing; (popular and thieves’) hackney-coach, “growler;” —— vif, railway train, or “rattler;” pedlar. Roulants, peas.

Roulante, f. (popular), prostitute. See Gadoue.

Rouleau, m. (thieves’), coin. See Quibus.

Roule-en-cul, m. (bullies’), an insulting term. Might be rendered by the word “pensioner” with an obscene prefix. See Poisson.

Roulement, m. (popular), hard work. Du ——! mes enfants! with a will, lads! (Military) Roulement de gueule, beating to dinner; (thieves’) —— de tambour, barking of a dog.

Rouler (familiar and popular), quelqu’un, to thrash one, “to wallop” him. See Voie. Also to swindle, “to stick, to bilk.”

Une grande compagnie d’assurance sur la vie vient d’Être dupÉe d’une jolie faÇon. Il n’y a pas grand mal, du reste, les compagnies ne se faisant guÈre scrupule de rouler le client.—A. Sirven.

(Popular) Rouler dans la farine, to play a trick, to deceive a simpleton, “to flap a jay.” Rouler sa bosse, to go along, to go away.

Rouler sa viande dans le torchon, to go to bed. Comment vont les affaires? Ça roule. How is business? Not bad. (Roughs’) Se rouler, to amuse oneself; to be much amused. (Familiar) Rouler quelqu’un, to worst one; to beat another in argument or repartee. Termed “to snork” at Shrewsbury School.

Rouletier, m. (thieves’), a thief who robs cabs or carriages by climbing up behind and cutting the straps that secure the luggage on the roof, “dragsman.”

Des classes entiÈres de voleurs Étaient aux abois, de ce nombre Était celle des rouletiers (qui dÉrobent les chargements sur les voitures).—Vidocq.

Rouleur, m. (popular), swindler; rag-picker, or “tot-picker.” The Slang Dictionary says, “tot” is a bone, but chiffonniers and cinder-hunters generally are called “tot-pickers” nowadays. Totting has also its votaries on the banks of the Thames, where all kinds of flotsam and jetsam are known as “tots.” Un ——, a man whose functions are to act as a medium between workmen and masters who wish to engage them.

Rouleuse, f. (familiar), debauched woman.

Les rangs de l’armÉe du charlatan apostolique se sont grossis de nombre de petites rouleuses sans emploi.—Hector France.

Roulier, or rouletier, m. (thieves’), thief who steals property off vans, “dragsman.”

Les rouliers ou rouletiers s’attaquent aux camions des entrepreneurs de roulage.—Canler.

Roulis, m. (sailors’), avoir du ——, to be drunk, “to have one’s mainbrace well spliced.”

Roulon, m. (thieves’), loft, attic.

Roulotage, m. (thieves’), theft of property from vehicles, “heaving from a drag.”

Roulotin, m. (thieves’), driver of a van, “rattling-cove.”

Roulotte, f. (thieves’), vehicle.

Roulotte À trÈpe, omnibus; —— du grand trimar, mail coach. Faire un coup de ——, or grinchir une —— en salade, to steal property from a vehicle.

Roulottier, m. (general), itinerant showman.

Allez À la Place du TrÔne, quand la foire au pain d’Épice est dans la fiÈvre des derniers prÉparatifs, avant le dimanche qui est la grande premiÈre des saltimbanques. Tous les roulottiers de France s’y donnent rendez-vous. Et parmi eux l’on a chance encore de trouver quelques BohÉmiens.—Richepin.

Roulottier, rogue who devotes his attention to vans, carts, or any other kind of conveyance, stealing luggage, goods, or provisions, “dragsman.”

Une bande importante de roulottiers, voleurs qui ont pour spÉcialitÉ de dÉrober sur les camions qui stationnent dans les rues ... a ÉtÉ arrÊtÉe hier.—Le Radical, Dec., 1886.

Roulure, f. (popular), woman of the most abandoned description.

Si bien que, la croyant en bois, il est allÉ ailleurs, avec des roulures qui l’ont rÉgalÉ de toutes sortes d’horreurs.—Zola, Nana.

Also despicable, degraded fellow.

Si c’est possible, une femme honnÊte tromper son mari, et avec cette roulure de Fauchery!—Zola.

Roumard, m. (thieves’), malicious fellow; (popular) rake, or “beard-splitter.”

Roupie, f. (popular), bug, or “heavy dragoon;” —— de singe, nothing; weak coffee; —— de sansonnet, bad coffee.

Le zingueur voulut verser le cafÉ lui-mÊme. Il sentait joliment fort, ce n’Était pas de la roupie de sansonnet.—Zola.

Roupiller (general), to sleep, “to doss.” Chenue sorgue, roupille sans taf, good night, sleep without fear.

Tout est renversÉ, quoi!—Et du reste, voilÀ le bouquet, Écoutez-moi Ça, on ne dit plus: je t’aime! on dit: j’te gobe. On ne dit plus: laisse-moi tranquille! on dit: va t’asseoir! On ne dit plus: tu m’ennuies! on dit: tu m’la fais À l’oseille! On ne boit plus, on liche. On ne mange plus, on bÉquille. On ne dort plus, on roupille! On ne se promÈne plus, on se ballade! Pour dire: je sors, on dit: je m’la casse!—Les Locutions Vicieuses.

Roupiller dans le grand, to be dead.

Roupillon, m. (thieves’), man asleep. Chatouiller un ——, to pick the pockets of a sleeping man.

Roupiou, m. (medical students’), a student who practises in hospitals without being on the regular staff, and who administers purgatives, prepares blisters, &c.

Rouscaillante, f. (thieves’), tongue, “glib, or red rag.” Stubble your red rag, hold your tongue. Balancer la rouscaillante, to talk, “to patter.”

Rouscailler (popular), to have connection. Probably from roussecaigne (rousse chienne, or red bitch), which formerly signified prostitute. (Thieves’) Rouscailler, to speak, “to patter;” —— bigorne, to talk the cant jargon, “to patter flash.” Rouscailler had the signification of to mislead, and bigorne was an epithet applied to the police, so that “rouscailler bigorne” means literally to mislead the police.

Rouscailleur, m. (popular), libertine, or “mutton-monger;” (thieves’) speaker.

Rouscailleuse, f. (popular), debauched woman.

RouspÉtance, f. (popular), bad humour; resistance.

Voulez-vous me foutre la paix! vous Êtes une forte tÊte À ce que je vois; vous voulez faire de la rouspÉtance.—G. Courteline.

(Prostitutes’) RouspÉtance, a detective whose particular functions are to watch prostitutes.

RouspÉter (popular), to be in a bad humour; to resist.

Rouspettau, m. (thieves’), noise.

Rouspetter (popular), used in a disparaging manner, to talk; to reply. Qu’est-ce que vous me rouspettez-lÀ? What the deuce are you talking about?

Rousse, m. and f. (popular and thieves’), la ——, the police, the “reelers.” Un ——, police officer, or “crusher;” detective, or “nark.” See Pot-À-tabac.

Va, c’est pas moi qui ferais jamais un trait a un ami; si je suis rousse (mouchard), il me reste encore des sentiments.—Vidocq.

La —— À l’arnac, the detective force. Red-haired people are supposed to be treacherous, hence the epithet “rousse” applied to the police. According to an old proverb,

Scarron expressed the following wish:—

Judas was red-haired, as everyone knows. Shakespeare makes the following allusion:—

Un —— À l’arnache, or harnache, a detective.

La —— À la flan, city police. Flasquer du poivre À la ——, to keep out of the way of the police, to escape their clutches.

Rousselette, f. (popular and thieves’), spy, or “nark.” Termed also une riflette, un baladin.

Roussi, m. (thieves’), prisoner who acts as a spy on fellow-prisoners.

Ton orgue tapissier aura ÉtÉ fait marron.... Il faut Être arcasien. C’est un galifard. Il se sera laissÉ jouer l’harnache par un roussin, peut-Être mÊme par un roussi, qui lui aura battu comtois ... je n’ai pas taf, je ne suis pas un taffeur, c’est colombÉ, mais il n’y a plus qu’À faire les lÉzards, ou autrement on nous la fera gambiller.—V. Hugo, Les MisÉrables. (Your friend the innkeeper must have been taken in the attempt. One ought to be wide awake. He is a flat. He must have been bamboozled by a detective, perhaps even by a prison spy, who played the simpleton. I am not afraid, I am no coward, that’s well known; the only thing to be done now is to run away, else we are done for.)

Roussin, m. (thieves’), police officer, “crusher;” detective.

Roussiner (popular), to call the attention of the police to one.

Roustamponne, f. (thieves’), police, “reelers, or frogs.”

Rousti, adj. (popular and thieves’), ruined, “smashed;” apprehended, “nailed, or nabbed.”

Roustir (popular and thieves’), to cheat, “to stick;” to rob one of all his valuables.

A l’heure qu’il est l’entonne est roustie.—Vidocq. (And now the church is stripped of all its valuables.)

Neuf plombes. La fÊte bat son plein ... eul’ joueur d’bonneteau m’a dÉjÀ rousti vingt ronds.—Trublot, Le Cri du Peuple, Sept., 1886.

Roustisseur, m. (thieves’), thief, “prig.”

Roustisseuse, f. (popular), woman of lax morals, “poll.”

Roustissure, f. (theatrical), insignificant part; (popular) bad joke; swindle; worthless thing.

Roustons, m. pl. (popular), testiculÆ.

Rousture, f. (thieves’), man under police surveillance.

Route, m. (popular), mettre au ——, to rout; to break; to destroy.

Vous avez beau dire ... faut que tout Ça soit foutu au route, qu’i n’en reste pu miette.—Le Drapeau Rouge de la MÈre Duchesne, 1792.

Old word roupte, from the Low Latin rupta, signifying rout. The word is used by Villon:—

RoutiÈre, f. (popular), prostitute who plies her trade on the high road. See Gadoue.

Roveau, or robau, m. (old cant), mounted police.

Ru, m. (thieves’), brook (old word).

Rub de rif, m. (thieves’), railway train, “rattler.”

Ruban de queue, m. (popular), never-ending road.

Rubis, m. (popular), sur pieu, ready money; —— cabochon (obsolete), see Flageolet.

Rublin, m. (thieves’), ribbon.

Rude, m. (popular), brandy. See Tord-boyaux.

Rudement, adv. (familiar and popular), awfully.

Rue, f. (popular), au pain, throat, “gutter lane;” —— barrÉe, or oÙ l’on pave, street in which a creditor lives, and which is to be avoided; —— du bec dÉpavÉe, gap-toothed mouth, one with “snaggle teeth.” (Rag-pickers’) Aller voir Madame la ——, to go to work picking rags, &c., in the street.

Ruelle, f. (popular), il ne tombera pas dans la ——, is said of a drunken man lying in the gutter, and who in consequence does not risk falling from the wall side of his bed. In English slang he is said, when in that state, to “lap the gutter.”

Ruette, f. (popular), mouth, or “kisser.”

Ruf, m. (thieves’), prison warder.

Rufan, m. (Breton cant), fire. Italian cant ruffo.

Ruffante. See Abbaye.

RuinÉ, adj. (horse-trainers’), un cheval —— sur son devant, a horse with bent knees, inclined “to say his prayers.”

Ruisselant d’inouisme, adj. (familiar), superlatively fine; marvellous, “crushing.”

Rumfort (familiar), voyage À la ——, is said of one who goes on a pretended journey, so as to escape the toll of new year’s gratuities and gifts.

Rup, or rupin, adj. and m. (popular), excellent; fine; handsome.

Avoir l’aspect ——, to look rich.

Ils s’emparent des portiÈres et les dÉfendent contre les gens qui n’ont pas l’aspect rupin. Ils ne les laissent libres que pour les gens qui leur paraissent avoir de la douille.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.

C’est un ——, he is clever, understands thoroughly his business, “he is a regular tradesman.” No better compliment, says the Slang Dictionary, can be passed on an individual, whether his profession be house-breaking, prize-fighting, or that of a handicraftsman, than the significant “He is a regular tradesman.” Le —— des rupins, the best of the thing.

(Thieves’) Rupin, rich, “well ballasted.”

Les plus rupins, depuis qu’on a imprimÉ des dictionnaires d’argot, entravent bigorne comme nouzailles.—Vidocq.

Rupin, gentleman, or “nib cove.”

Ils s’enquiÈrent oÙ demeurent quelques marpeaux pieux, rupins et marcandiers dÉvots, qu’ils bient trouver en leur creux.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.

The word rupin is derived from the Gypsy rup, Hindustani rupa, money. In Breton cant rup has the meaning of citizen or wealthy man.

Rupine, f. (thieves’), lady.

Rupinskoff, adj. (popular), excellent, “out and out;” rich.

Rural, m., name given to the Conservative members of the AssemblÉe Nationale in 1871.

Russes, adj. and m. (military), bas, or chaussettes ——, strips of linen wrapped round the feet at the time when soldiers were not provided with regulation socks.

(Common) Des ——, short whiskers.

Rustau, m. (thieves’), variety of receiver of stolen property, “fence.”

Le remisage, tenu par le rustau, est le fourgat des voleurs ou assassins de grandes routes travaillant en province et opÉrant jusqu’À l’Étranger.—MÉmoires de Monsieur Claude.