B

# The Letter B

## BACK'ED

dead; as He wishes the Senior backed, i.e. He longs to have his Father upon Six Mens Shoulders. His Backs up, a taunting Expression.

## BACON

the Prize, or whatever kind which Robbers make in their Enterprizes. He has saved his Bacon; i.e. He has himself escaped with the Prize, whence it is commonly used for any narrow Escape. The Cove has a bien squawl to maund Bacon; i.e. he has a good Voice to beg Bacon; used to jeer a bad Voice, or an indifferent Singer. The Bacon Sweard rakes in his Throttle; i.e. the Sweard of the Bacon sticks in his Throat; used to a person who has Hoarseness, or one, who at their Merry-Meetings, excuses himself from Singing, on pretence of a Cold.

## BADGE

is used in a Canting Sense, for Burning in the Hand or Cheek (as it used to be) as he has got his Badge and piked away; He has been burned in the Hand, &c. and is just set at Liberty.

## BADGE-COVES

Parish-Pensioners

## BADGERS

a Crew of desperate Villains, who rob and kill near rivers, and then throw the dead bodies therein.

## BAGGAGE

as the heavy Baggage, the Children and Women who are unable to travel fast in Gangs of Gypsies, and Strowlers.

## BALSOM

Money: The Cove has secured the Balsom, i.e. He has seized the Money.

## A BAM

a Sham or Cheat: a knavish Contrivance to amuse or deceive.

## BANBURY story

of a Cock and a Bull, an idle Relation, in order to pick Acquaintance on the Road, till a convenient Place or Opportunity offer to rob or plunder.

## BANDITTI

Highwaymen, Horse or Foot, now used for Rogues of any kind, but strictly Italian Rapparees.

## BANDOG

a Bailiff or his Follower; a Sergeant or his Yeomen.

## BANTLING

a Child.

## BARKER

a Salesman's Servant that walks before the Shop, to invite customers.

## BARNACLE

a good Job, or a Snack easily got; so called from the Gratuity given to Jockeys, for buying and selling Horses.

## BARNACLES

the Irons worn in Goal by Felons. A Pair of Spectacles is also called Barnacles; as I saw the Cuffin Quire with his Nose Barnacled, making out the Cove's Dispatches, i.e. I saw the Justice of Peace with his Spectacles on making out his Mittimus.

## BAR-WIG

between a bob and a long one.

## To BASTE

to beat.

## BASTONADING

a Cudgelling

## BATTEN

to fatten; to keep up a Fowl, &c. till it is fit for eating.

## BATTENER

an Ox; The Cove has hushed the Battener; i.e. He has killed the Ox, in revenge on some Farmer, who, perhaps, had got him sent to the House of Correction.

## BATTERED BULLY

an old well cudgelled and bruised huffing fellow.

## BAUBEE

an Halfpenny; as The Cove ript the Maund but a single Baubee let's souse him for it i.e. The Gentleman has given the Beggar but a single Halfpenny; lets plunder him for his Niggardliness.

## BAUBELS

## or BAWBLES

Jewels, Tweezers, Snuff-boxes, any sort of Gold or Silver Trinkets.

## BAWD

a Female Procuress.

## BAWDY-BASKETS

a sort of diminutive Pedlars, who sell Obscene Books, Pins, Tape, &c. but live more by pilfering and stealing.

## BAWDY-HOUSE-BOTTLE

a very small one.

## BEAR-GARDEN-DISCOURSE

common, filthy, nasty talk.

## BEARD-SPLITTER

a Whore-master.

## BEAU-TRAPS

an Order of Villains, Genteel-dressed Sharpers, who lie in wait to insnare and draw in young Heirs, raw Country Squires and ignorant Fops.

## BECK

## HARMANBECK

a Beadle

## BEEF

to alarm, as They have cryed Beef upon us; they have discovered, us and are in Pursuit of us.

## BELCH

any sort of Malt-liquor so called.

## BELLY-CHEAT

an Apron.

## A BEN

a foolish Fellow, a Simpleton.

## BENISH

foolish, simple.

## BENAR

better.

## BENE

## or BIEN

good, Pike on the Bene, i.e. Run away as fast as you can.

## BENE-BOWSE

strong Liquor.

## BENE-COVE

a good Fellow, a merry companion.

## BENE-DARKMANS

good Night.

## BENESHIP

very good, very well. Beneshiply Worshipfully.

## BENEFEAKERS

Counterfeiters of Bills, Bonds, Notes, Receipts, &c.

## BENEFEAKERS OF GYBES

Counterfeiters of Passes.

## BESS

Bring Bess and Glym; i.e. Forget not the Instrument to break open the Dour, and the Dark Lanthorn.

## BET

as secure the Bet, secure the Prize.

## BETTY

## BESS

a small Engine to force open the Doors of Houses; Mill the Gig with your Betty; i.e. Break open the Door with your Instrument.

## BEVER

An Afternoons Lunchion.

## BEVERAGE

Garnish-money.

## BIDDY

a Chicken.

## BILK

to cheat or deceive. Bilk the Rattling Cove; Sharp the Coachman of his Hire.

## BILL

## BILBOA

a Sword. Bite the Bill from the Cull; i.e. Whip the Sword from his Side.

## BILL of Sale

a Bandore, or Widow's Peak.

## To BING

to go, &c.

## BING-AWAST

Get you hence: Begone; haste away; He Bing'd awast in a Darkmans, i.e. He Stole away in the Night-time. Bing we to Rum vile? i.e. Go we to London.

## BINGO

Geneva, or Brandy.

## BINGO-BOY

a great Geneva Drinker.

## BINGO-CLUB

a Club of Geneva Drinkers.

## BINGO-MORT

a She Brandy Drinker.

## BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Rogues of the same Gang.

## BIRD-WITTED

hare-brained; not solid or stayed.

## BIT

Robbed, Cheated or Out-Witted. Also Drunk, as He has bit his Grannum; He is very Drunk. Bit the Blow, performed the Theft, played the Cheat, You have bit a great Blow; You have robbed somebody of or to a considerable Value.

## BITE

a Rogue, Sharper or Cheat; also a Woman's Privities, as The Cull wapt the Morts Bite; i.e. The Fellow enjoyed the Woman briskly. Bite the Biter, rob the Rogue, sharp the Sharper, or Cheat the Cheater. Bite the Cully, put the Cheat on a silly Fellow. Bite the Roger, steal the Portmanteau. Bite the Wiper, steal the Handkerchief. He will not Bite or swallow the Bait; He wont be drawn in. To Bite on the Bit; To be pinched or reduced to hard Meat; a scanty or sorry sort of Living.

## BLACK and WHITE

under one's Hand, or in Writing.

## BLAB

one that is not to be confided in upon an Enterprize or Intrigue.

## BLACK-BOX

a Lawyer.

## BLACK-COAT

a Parson.

## BLACK-GUARD

dirty, nasty, tatterred roguish Boys, that formerly were wont to attend at the Horse-Guards to wipe Shoes, and clean Boots.

## BLACK-JACK

a leather-Jug to drink in.

## BLACK-INDIES

Newcastle, from whence the Coals are brought.

## BLACKMUNS

Hoods and Scarves of Alamode and Lustrings.

## BLACK-SPY

the Devil.

## BLANK

down looked, sheepish, guilty.

## BLEACH

as The Mort lay last Night a Bleaching; the Wench looks very fair to Day.

## BLEATERS

they that are cheated by Jack in a Box.

## BLEATING-CHEAT

a Sheep.

## BLEED

as, To bleed freely, i.e. To part with their Money easily.

## BLEEDING-CULLY

an easy Fellow, this is profuse with his Money, or persuaded to support all the Exravaganies of his Companion or Mistress, at his own Expence.

## BLEW-JOHN

Wash, or After-wort.

## A BLIND

a Feint, a Pretence, a shift.

## A BLIND ALE-HOUSE

one fit to conceal a pursued or hunted Villain.

## BLIND-CHEEKS

the Breech.

## BLIND-HARPERS

Canters, who counterfeit Blindness, strowl about with Harps, Fiddles, Bagpipes, &c. led by a Dog or Boy.

## BLOCK-HOUSES

Prisons, Houses of Correction, &c.

## BLOSS

a Shop-lifter; also a Bully's pretended Wife, or Mistress, whom he guards, while she supports him; also a Whore.

## To BLOT the Skrip, and jark it

i.e. to stand engaged, or be bound for any Body.

## BLOW

as He has bit his blow, he has stollen the Goods, &c.

## BLOWER

a Mistress; also a Whore.

## To BLOW off the Groundsils

i.e. To lie with a Women on the Floor or Stairs.

## To BLOW off the loose Corns

To lie now and then with a Woman.

## BLUBBER

the Mouth, I've stopt the Culls Blubber, I've stopt the Fellow's Mouth; meant either by gagging or murdering him.

## BLUBBERING

much Crying.

## To look BLUFF

To look big or like Bull-beef.

## BLUFFER

an Inn-keeper or victualler.

## BLUNDERBUS

an awkward Fellow.

## A BLUSTRING Fellow

a rude ratling Hector.

## BOARDING-School

Bridewell [[prob. rdg; orig. Briedwell]] or New Prison, or any Work-house, or House of Correction, for Vagrants, Beggars and Villains, &c.

## BOARDING Scholars

Bridewell-Birds.

## BOB

a Shop-lifts Comerade, Assistant or Receiver. Bob also signifies Safety.

## It is all BOB

i.e. All is Safe.

## BOBBED

cheated, tricked, baulked.

## BOB-TAIL

a light woman, also an Eunuch or impotent Fellow.

## BOG-LANDERS

Irish Men.

## BOB-TROTTERS

Scotch or North Country Moss-troopers, or Highway-Men.

## BOLTER of White Fryars

one that peeps out, but dares not venture abroad.

## BOLTSPRIT

the nose, He has broke his Boltsprit; He has lost his Nose by the Pox.

## To BONE

to apprehend, sieze, take or arrest. I'll Bone ye; I'll cause you to be arrested. We shall be Boned, we shall be apprehended for the Robbery. The Cove is Boned and gone to the Whit; the Rogue is taken up and carried to Newgate. The Cull has Boned the Fen (for Fence) or Bloss that bit the Blow, The Man has taken the Thief that robbed his House or Shop, or picked his Pocket. If he be Boned he must shove the Tumbler; If he be taken he'll be whipt at the Gart's-tail. I have Boned her Dudds, Fagged and Brushed; I have taken away my Mistress's cloaths, beat her and am trooped off. Boning the Fence; Finding the Goods where concealed and siezing them. He made no Bones of it.

## BONNY-CLAPPER

sowre Butter-milk.

## BOOTH

a House, as Heave the Booth; Rob the House.

## To Play BOOTY

to play with a design to lose.

## BOOZE

Vide BOWSE.

## BORDE

a Shilling, Half a Borde, Six-pence.

## BOTTLE-HEAD

void of Wit.

## BOUGHS

as He is up in the Boughs, said of one upon the Rant, or in a great Ferment.

## BOUNCE

as a meer Bounce, a swaggering Fellow.

## BOUNCER

a Bully.

## BOUNCING-Cheat

a Bottle.

## BOWMAN

as a Bowman-Prigg, an eminent Thief or Villain; a dextrous Cheat, or House-breaker.

## BOWSE

Drink, or to drink; see Benbowse [[Bene-Bowse]] and Rumbowse [[Rumbowse is not actually defined]].

## BOWSY

Drunk.

## BOWSING KEN

an Ale-house.

## BRACKET-FACE

ugly, homely, ill-favoured.

## BRAT

a little Child.

## BRAVADO

a vapouring, or bouncing.

## BRAVO

a mercenary Murderer, that will kill any body.

## BRIM

## or Brimstone

a very impudent, lewd Woman.

## BROTHER of the Blade

a Sword-man or Soldier.

## BROTHER of the Gussit

a Pimp, Procurer; also a Whore-master.

## BROTHER-STARLING

that lies with the same Woman or builds in the same Nest.

## BROTHER of the String

a Fiddler, or Harper.

## To BRUSH

to flee, or run away. The Cully is brushed or rubbed; The Fellow is marched off or broke. Bought a Brush, run away.

## BRUSHER

a very full Glass of Liquor.

## BUB

drink. Rumbub very good Tipple.

## BUBBER

a drinking Bowl; also a great Drinker, also one who steals plate from public Houses.

## BUBE

the Pox. The Mort tipt the Bube upon the Cully; The Wench has clapped the Fellow.

## To BUBBLE

To cheat or decieve. A Bubble, an easy soft Fellow, one that is fit to be imposed on, deluded, or cheated.

## BUCK

as a Bold Buck.

## BUCK-FITCHES

old leacherous Fellows.

## BUCK'S-FACE

a Cuckold.

## A BUDGE

one that slips into an House in the Dark, and taking what comes next to Hand, marches off with it. If he meets with any body, he asks, if such a Gentleman or Woman be within; and is told, they know no such Person, he begs Pardon, and says, he was mistaken in the House, immediately marches off, and will not stay for a Reply. To Budge, also signifies to stir or move.

## BUFF

a Dog.

## How dost do my BUFF

a familiar Salutation among the Canting Tribe.

## To stand BUFF

is a Phrase used of an obstinate hardened Rogue, who in a Robbery will not be daunted at Resistance or Opposition, or leave his Com-rogues in the Lurch, or a hardened Rogue who will confess nothing.

## BUFFER

a Rogue that kills good sound Horses, only for their skins, by running a long wire into them, and sometimes knocking them on the Head.

## BUFF-KNAPPER

a Dog-stealer, that trades in all Sorts of Dogs, selling them at a round Rate, and himself or Partner stealing them the first Opportunity.

## BUFFERS-NAB

a Dog's Head, used in a counterfiet Seal to a false Pass.

## BUGGING

taking Money by Bailiffs and Serjeants of the Defendant not to arrest him.

## BUGHER

a Dog.

## BULCHIN

a chubbingly Boy or Lad.

## BULL

as, a Town Bull, a Whore-master.

## TO look like BULL beef

to look big and grim.

## BULK

an Assistant to a File or Pick-Pocket, who jostles a Person up against the Wall, while the other picks his Pocket.

## BULKER

one that lodges all Night on Shop windows and bulkheads.

## BULLS-EYE

a Crown or Five Shilling Piece.

## BULLY

a supposed Husband to a Bawd, or Whore; also a huffing Fellow, a pretended Bravo, but a Coward at the Bottom.

## BULLY-FOP

a maggot-pated, huffing, silly, rattling Fellow.

## BULLY-HUFF

a poor sorry Rogue, that haunts Bawdy-houses, and pretends to get Money out of Gentlemen and others, rattling and swearing the Whore is his Wife.

## BULLY-COCK

a Hector or bravo sets on People to quarrel, pretending to be a Second to them; and then making Advantage of both.

## BULLY-RUFFINS

Highway-men, or Foot Pads, who attack with Oaths and Curses, plunder without Mercy, and frequently murder without Necessity.

## BULLY-TRAP

a Trapan, a Sharper or Cheat.

## BUM

a Bailiff or Serjeant.

## BUNDLE-TAIL

a short, fat, or squat Lass.

## BUNG

a Purse, Pocket or Fob.

## BUNG-NIPPERS

Cut purses, who with a short sharp Knife, and a horn Thumb, used to cut Purses. Since the wearing of Purses is out of Fashion, they are called Files or Pick-Pockets.

## BUNTING-TIME

when the Grass is high enough to hide the young Men and Maids.

## BUNT'LINGS

Petticoats. Hale up the main Buntlings, throw up the Women's Petticoats.

## BURNT

poxed, or clapt.

## To BURN the Ken

is when Strollers leave an Alehouse, without paying their Quarters.

## BURR

a Hanger on or Dependant.

## To BUTTER

signifies also, to cheat or defraud in a smooth or plausible Manner; as, He'll not be Battered; He's aware of your Design, He's upon his Guard, &c.

## BUTTER-BOXES

Dutchmen

## BUTTERED-BUN

lying with a Woman that has been just lain with by another Man.

## BUTTOCK

a Whore.

## BUTTOCK-Broker

a Bawd, also a Match-maker.

## A BUTTOCK and File

both Whore and Pickpocket.

## BUTTOCK and Twang

or a down-right Buttock and sham File, a common Whore, but no Pickpocket.

## BUZZARD

a foolish, soft Fellow, drawn in and culled or tricked.

## BY-BLOW

a Bastard.