GLOSSARY

a chara my friend, buddy, pal (Irish)

a mhac my friend (Irish)

bairn a child

balderdash diluted liquor

barking iron a pistol

bawd a pimp

bawdy house a brothel

beak a judge

beard splitter a pimp

beaters a pair of boots

beour a woman (Irish)

bimble stroll

black box a lawyer

black joke a woman’s private parts

blackthorn a stick made from blackthorn, popular with the Irish

blade cock a man who specializes in knife work

bob masturbate

bobtail a prostitute

boglander an Irishman

Bojeley Beaujolais wine

bollocks testicles; also rubbish

bounce nerve; courage

bouncer a ruffian

box the Jesuit masturbate

breeks breeches

bumper a large glass, filled to the brim

calibogus spruce beer

cant street slang

charley a big man; an oaf

cheese it be quiet

chink money

chive a knife

clunch a fool

coat buzzer pickpocket

cock a man

colt bowler a young man

cossack a policeman

cove a man

cracked mad

crackers buttocks

crow fortunate

crusher a policeman

cull a man

danna excrement

death hunter an undertaker

dimber pretty; handsome

doxy a prostitute

drumbelo a fool

dub o’ the hick a bump on the head

ducats money

duds clothing

eagle ten-dollar coin

earth bath a grave

eternity box coffin

fadge a farthing; also, to care

fart catcher a valet

farting crackers breeches

Fenian a Catholic Irishman

filch to steal

finger smith woman who performs abortions

fizzog a face

flash fancy; elaborate; also slang

flicker a medium size glass

fork (verb) to pickpocket

gammon rubbish

gelt money

glad (verb) to saunter

glimms eyes

goose to fool

grapple raw liquor

grunter a pig

gull (noun) a gullible person

gull (verb) to play a confidence trick; to fool

gundiguts a roly-poly fellow

gurn (verb) to complain; to drone on (Northern English)

gurn (noun) a face; an expression (Northern English)

hack appearance

half seas-over tipsy

heavers a woman’s breasts

hector a ruffian

hessian coarse cloth; sacking

Hispaniola the island of Haiti and the Dominican Republic

hose stockings

huff (noun) a blowhard

hugger-mugger stealth

hush to kill

jarvie a coachman

jigger a lock

judy a prostitute

kinchin a child

kip (noun) a house; a sleep

knap to steal

knuckler a thief; a pickpocket

lambskin man a judge (because of his long wig)

laycock a woman’s private parts

libben a house; a home

lift (verb) to steal

lobster a redcoat; a King’s soldier

long-shanks long-legged

lutefisk fermented herring

mab a woman; a wench

mackerel a wallet

mackerel-back skinny

madge a woman’s private parts

marra friend; mate (Northern English)

matelot sailor

mauld drunk

member mug a chamber pot

mill to kill

moll a woman; a mistress

mort a woman

mott a woman’s private parts; a prostitute

muff-wipe a sanitary towel

nazie drunk

nug to copulate

nugging shop a brothel

peg a penis

pettifogger a lawyer

phiz a face

pike to run away

pink (verb) to stab; to pierce

pipe a penis

plug; plug tail a penis

poker a sword

poundies an Irish potato-based dish

prancer a horse

prig a thief

privy a lavatory

puff guts fat

pug cider cider made with ingredients other than apples

quid money; dollars; pounds

queer the lay disrupt the plan

rag carrier a cavalry standard bearer; an ensign

rantum scantum sexual intercourse

rum strange; odd

sand courage

sapscull an idiot

scaly miserly

scamp (verb) to run away

screwsman a lock-breaker

shab off run away; escape; desert

sharper cheat

shoot the cat to vomit

shoulder clapper a policeman

simkin a fool

six and tips a cheap cocktail of whiskey and beer, favored by the Irish; also an Irishman

snakesman a small burglar who sneaks through windows

spooney foolish

stampers footwear

stand buff to give evidence

stingo strong drink; rotgut

strapped armed

strommel hair

suck the monkey binge drink

swede a head

swill-tub a drunkard

swive sexual intercourse

swizzle a cocktail of beer, rum and sugar

tackle clothes; belongings

tarrywags testicles

Teaguelander an Irishman

the gunner’s daughter a cannon

thieftaker bounty hunter

tib a young girl

tile a hat

tilt fight

tip (verb) to inform; to notice

titter a young woman

toasting iron a sword

tony an albatross; a big man; a thug

tooler a pickpocket

top (verb) to kill

topping cove a swell; a gentleman

tosspot a garbage can; insult

trumpery rubbish; hot air

tup to copulate

turk a bad man; a thug

twig to spot; to discover

wean a child

whiddle to talk; to tell

wireman a man who kills with a garrote, by preference

wit to understand

yarum warm milk