-
Spell
·noun A story; a tale.
II. Spell ·noun A spelk, or splinter.
III. Spell ·noun One of two or more p...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
spell
I.
n.
In England, a turn at work or duty;in Australasia, always a period of rest from duty. It is ...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
spell
(From AngSax. spelian to supply another's room; to act or be proxy for.--Bosworth.) A turn of work; ...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
spell
The period wherein one or more sailors are employed in particular duties demanding continuous exerti...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Give
·vi To have a misgiving.
II. Give ·vi To become soft or moist.
III. Give ·vi To give a gift or gif...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
By-spell
·noun A <<Proverb>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
fresh spell
Men coming to relieve a gang at work.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
give best
v.
Australian slang, meaning toacknowledge superiority, or to give up trying at anything.
1883. Ke...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
give way
The order to a boat's crew to renew rowing, or to increase their exertions if they were already rowi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
give way with a will
Pull heartily together.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
A
A, a, indecl. n. (sometimes joined with littera), the first letter of the Latin alphabet, correspond...
A New Latin Dictionary by Charlton T. Lewis Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL. D.
-
a
a, prep.=ab, v. ab.
...
A New Latin Dictionary by Charlton T. Lewis Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL. D.
-
A
A. a. as an abbreviation, 1 for the praenomen Aulus.
2 for Absolvo, on the voting-tablet of a jud...
An Elementary Latin Dictionary
-
A
·- Of.
II. A ·prep In; on; at; by.
III. A ·- An expletive, void of sense, to fill up the meter.
I...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A 1
·- A registry mark given by underwriters (as at Lloyd's) to ships in first-class condition. Inferior...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A-
·- A, as a prefix to English words, is derived from various sources. (1) It frequently signifies on ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A
Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, as Omega is the last. These letters occur in the text...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
a
As for example the word alarm, alarum, a bell, from the German lärm; but the military alarm on a dru...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
to give him jessy
is to give him a flogging. A vulgarism of recent origin.
Well, hoss, you've slashed the hide off 'e...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
give chase, to
to make sail in pursuit of a stranger.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
give her sheet
The order to ease off; give her rope.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
give way together
So that the oars may all dip and rise together, whereby the force is concentrated.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
to give him the mitten
This phrase is used of a girl who discards her sweetheart. She gave him the mitten means that she ga...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to give it to one
is to rate, scold, or beat him severely.--Holloway, Prov. Dict. Used in the same sense in America.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
A cappella
·- A time indication, equivalent to alla breve.
II. A cappella ·- In church or chapel style;
— sai...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A cheval
·add. ·- Astride; with a part on each side;
— used specif. in designating the position of an army w...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A fortiori
·- With stronger reason.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A posteriori
·- Applied to knowledge which is based upon or derived from facts through induction or experiment; i...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A priori
·- Applied to knowledge and conceptions assumed, or presupposed, as prior to experience, in order to...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A-mornings
·adv In the morning; every morning.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A-sea
·adv On the sea; at sea; toward the sea.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A-tiptoe
·adv On tiptoe; eagerly expecting.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Due-a
·noun ·see Do-a.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Pi-a
·add. ·noun The <<Pineapple>>.
II. Pi-a ·add. ·noun Pi-a cloth or the fiber of which it is made.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Vicu-a
·noun ·Alt. of <<Vicugna>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
a-many
a great number, pronounced Meyny. North.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
a-scat
broken like an egg. Dev.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
a-slat
crack'd like an earthen vessel. Dev.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
a-burton
The situation of casks when they are stowed in the hold athwart ship, or in a line with the beam.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-cockbill
(see cock-bill). The anchor hangs by its ring at the cat-head, in a position for dropping.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-hull
A ship under bare poles and her helm a-lee, driving from wind and sea, stern foremost. Also a ship d...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-lee
The contrary of a-weather: the position of the helm when its tiller is borne over to the lee-side of...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-poise
Said of a vessel properly trimmed.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-starboard
The opposite to a-port.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-stay
Said of the anchor when, in heaving in, the cable forms such an angle with the surface as to appear ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-trip
The anchor is a-trip, or a-weigh, when the purchase has just made it break ground, or raised it clea...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-wash
Reefs even with the surface. The anchor just rising to the water's edge, in heaving up.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-weather
The position of the helm when its tiller is moved to the windward side of the ship, in the direction...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-weigh
The anchor being a-trip, or after breaking out of the ground.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
give her so and so
The direction of the officer of the watch to the midshipman, reporting the rate of sailing by the lo...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
mine a-se on a bandbox
An answer to the offer of any thing inadequate to the purpose for which it is wanted, just as a band...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
A B C
·- The simplest rudiments of any subject; as, the A B C of finance.
II. A B C ·- A primer for teach...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
All-a-mort
·adj ·see <<Alamort>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Black-a-vised
·adj Dark-visaged; swart.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Bric-a brac
·noun Miscellaneous curiosities and works of decorative art, considered collectively.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Char-a-bancs
·noun A long, light, open vehicle, with benches or seats running lengthwise.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Chars-a-banc
·pl of Char-a-bancs.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Cock-a-hoop
·adj Boastful; defiant; exulting. Also used adverbially.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Cornet-a-piston
·noun A brass wind instrument, like the trumpet, furnished with valves moved by small pistons or sli...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Cornets-a-piston
·pl of Cornet-a-piston.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Dos-a-dos
·add. ·noun A sofa, open carriage, or the like, so constructed that the occupants sit back to back.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Flute a bec
·- A beak flute, an older form of the flute, played with a mouthpiece resembling a beak, and held li...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Jack-a-dandy
·noun A little dandy; a little, foppish, impertinent fellow.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Jack-a-lent
·noun A small stuffed puppet to be pelted in Lent; hence, a simple fellow.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Penny-a-liner
·noun One who furnishes matter to public journals at so much a line; a poor writer for hire; a hack ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Pi-a cloth
·add. ·- A fine fabric for scarfs, handkerchiefs, embroidery, ·etc., woven from the fiber obtained f...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Tete-a-tete
·adj Private; confidential; familiar.
II. Tete-a-tete ·noun A short sofa intended to accomodate two...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Vis-a-vis
·adv Face to face.
II. Vis-a-vis ·noun One who, or that which, is face to face with another; ·esp.,...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Wait-a-bit
·add. ·noun The prickly ash.
II. Wait-a-bit ·add. ·noun The grapple plant.
III. Wait-a-bit ·add. ·...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Wait-a-while
·add. ·noun = Wait-a-bit.
II. Wait-a-while ·add. ·noun One of the Australian wattle trees (Acacia c...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Adam, a type
The apostle Paul speaks of Adam as "the figure of him who was to come." On this account our Lord is ...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
all-a-mort
Struck dumb, confounded. What, sweet one, all-a-mort? SHAKESPEARE.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
black a-se
A copper or kettle. The pot calls the kettle black a-se. Cant.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to run a buck
To poll a bad vote at an election.--IRISH TERM.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
chick-a-biddy
A chicken, so called to and by little children.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
cock-a-whoop
Elevated, in high-spirits, transported with joy.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to couch a hogshead
To lie down to sleep. CANT.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to fight a crib
To make a sham fight. BEAR GARDEN TERM.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
cure a-se
A dyachilon plaister, applied to the parts galled by riding.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
dram-a-tick
A dram served upon credit.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
drop a cog
To let fall, with design, a piece of gold or silver, in order to draw in and cheat the person who se...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
firing a gun
Introducing a story by head and shoulders. A man wanting to tell a particular story, said to the com...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to fire a slug
To drink a dram.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
foxing a boot
Mending the foot by capping it.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
mumble a sparrow
A cruel sport practised at wakes and fairs, in the following manner: A cock sparrow whose wings are ...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
pit-a-pat
The palpitation of the heart: as, my heart went pit-a-pat. Pintledy-pantledy; the same.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to ring a peal
To scold; chiefly applied to women. His wife rung him a fine peal!
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
slug-a-bed
A drone, one that cannot rise in the morning.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
squint-a-pipes
A squinting man or woman; said to be born in the middle of the week, and looking both ways for Sunda...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
wear a--e
A one-horse chaise.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
bull-a-bull
or Bullybul
n.
a child'scorruption of the Maori word Poroporo (q.v.), aflowering shrub of New Zeal...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
cock-a-bully
n. a popular name for the NewZealand fish Galaxias fasciatus, Gray, a corruption ofits Maori name Ko...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
make a light
expressive pigeon-English. An aboriginal'sphrase for to look for, to find. «You been make a lightyar...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
mark, a good
Australian slang.
1845. R. Howitt, `Australia,' p. 233:
«I wondered often what was the meaning of ...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
perish, doing a
modern slang from Western Australia.See quotation.
1894. `The Argus,' March 28, p. 5, col. 4:
«Whe...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
stay-a-while
n.
a tangled bush; sometimescalled Wait-a-while (q.v.).
...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
wait-a-while
n.
also called Stay-a-while: a thicket tree.
1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 306:
...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
to bear a hand
A seaman's phrase. To be ready ; to go to work; to assist.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to catch a tartar
To attack one of superior strength or abilities. This saying originated from the story of an Irish s...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a caper
(Italian, tagliar le capriole.) The act of dancing in a frolicksome manner.--Todd. We use it also in...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a dash
In modern colloquial speech, to make a great show; to make a figure.--Johnson. A fashionable or gail...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a figure
To make an appearance, either good or bad.
We are not as much surprised at the poor figure cut by t...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a swathe
The same as to cut a dash.
The expression is generally applied to a person walking who is gaily dre...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to deacon a calf
is to knock it in the head as soon as it is born.--Connecticut.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to drive a bargain
To make a bargain. A common colloquial expression, as old as the language.
This bargain is ful dr...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to girdle a tree
In America, to make a circular incision, like a belt, through the bark and alburnum of a tree to kil...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to have a say
To express an opinion. A phrase in vulgar use.
I picked out "Henry Clay" for my baby's name, but t...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to make a raise
A vulgar expression, meaning to raise; procure; obtain.
I made a raise of a horse and saw, after be...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to raise a bead
This expression is used at the West, and means to bring to a head, to make succeed. The figure is ta...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to sky a copper
To toss up a cent.
Didge said he was like skying a copper--head or tail.--Crockett, Tour.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to trig a wheel
To stop a wheel so as to prevent its going backwards or forwards.--Bailey. Still used in New England...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
up-a-day
A fondling expression of a nurse to a child, when she takes it up in her arms, or lifts it over some...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
a god-cheeld!
Exclamation. God shield you! God forbid!
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
brain a man
i. e. knock his brains out. N.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
feel a stink
to perceive it. Derb.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
flick-a-bacon
a flitch of bacon. N.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
jacket-a-wad
an ignis fatuus. Exm.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
scotch a wheel
to stop it from going backward. Lane.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
well-a-day!
alas! Various.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
beaching a vessel
See under voluntary stranding. Also, the act of running a vessel up on the beach for various purpose...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
bear a fist
See bear a bob
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
bear a bob
, or bear a fist
Jocular for "lend a hand."
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
bedding a cask
Placing dunnage round it.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
catch a crab
In rowing, when an oar gets so far beneath the surface of the water, that the rower cannot recover i...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chapelling a ship
The act of turning her round in a light breeze, when she is close hauled, without bracing the head-y...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chock-a-block
, or chock and block
Is the same with block-a-block and two-blocks (which see). When the lower blo...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
clubbing a fleet
Manœuvring so as to place the first division on the windward side.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cock-a-hoop
In full confidence, and high spirits.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cutting a feather
It is common when a ship has too broad a bow to say, "She will not cut a feather," meaning that she ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
dick-a-dilver
A name for the periwinkle on our eastern coasts.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
disparting a gun
To bring the line of sight and line of metal to be parallel by setting up a mark on the muzzle-ring ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
docking a ship
The act of drawing her into dock, and placing her properly on blocks, in order to give her the requi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
doubling a cape
In navigation, is to sail round or pass beyond it, so that the point of land separates the ship from...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
driving a charge
Ramming home the loading of a piece of ordnance.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fall! a fall!
The cry to denote that the harpoon has been effectively delivered into the body of a whale.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
frapping a ship
The act of passing four or five turns of a large cable-laid rope round a ship's hull when it is appr...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
get-a-pull
The order to haul in more of a rope or tackle.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
hard-a-lee
The situation of the tiller when it brings the rudder hard over to windward. Strictly speaking, it o...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
hard-a-port!
The order so to place the tiller as to bring the rudder over to the starboard-side of the stern-post...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
hard-a-starboard
The order so to place the tiller as to bring the rudder over to the port-side of the stern-post, whi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
hard-a-weather!
The order so to place the tiller as to bring the rudder on the lee-side of the stern-post, whichever...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
heaving a strain
Working at the windlass or capstan with more than usual exertion.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
hob-a-nob
To drink cosily; the act of touching glasses in pledging a health. An early and extensive custom fal...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
jerquing a vessel
A search performed by the jerquer of the customs, after a vessel is unloaded, to see that no unenter...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
keeping a watch
To have charge of the deck. Also, the act of being on watch-duty.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
laying a rope
Arranging the yarns for the strands, and then the strands for making a rope, or cable.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lend a hand
A request to another to help.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lend a fist or a hand
A request to another to help.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lie a hull
Synonymous with hull to, or hulling.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
luff a-lee
See luff round
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
middling a sail
Arranging it for bending to the yard.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
nailing a gun
Synonymous with cloying or spiking. When necessary to abandon cannon, or when the enemy's artillery,...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
on a bowline
Close to the wind, when the sail will not stand without hauling the bowlines.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
on a wind
Synonymous with on a bowline.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
pedro-a-pied
[Pedro-pee]. The balance on one leg in walking a plank as a proof of sobriety. A man placed one foot...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
pricking a sail
The running a middle seam between the two seams which unite every cloth of a sail to the next adjoin...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
racking a laniard
The fastening two running parts together with a seizing, so as to prevent it from rendering through ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
racking a tackle or laniard
The fastening two running parts together with a seizing, so as to prevent it from rendering through ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
raising a mouse
The process of making a lump on a stay. (See mouse.)
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
raising a purchase
The act of disposing certain machines, so that, by their mutual effects, they may produce sufficient...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
shifting a tackle
The act of removing the blocks of a tackle to a greater distance from each other, in order to extend...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
show a leg!
An exclamation from the boatswain's mate, or master-at-arms, for people to show that they are awake ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
spanning a harpoon
Fixing the line which connects the harpoon and its staff. The harpoon iron is a socketed tool, taper...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
spiking a gun
Driving a large nail or iron spike into the vent, which will render the cannon unserviceable until r...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
swifting a ship
Either bringing her aground or upon a careen; also passing cables round her bottom and upper-works, ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
taking a departure
Determining the place of a ship by means of the bearing and distance of a known object, and assuming...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
tapping a buoy
Clearing it of the water which has entered it by leakage, and would otherwise prevent its watching.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
toe a line!
The order to stand in a row.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
treading a seam
, or dancing pedro-pee.
See pedro-a-pied.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
trimming a jacket
Rope's-ending the wearer.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
walking a plank
An obsolete method of destroying people in mutiny and piracy, under a plea of avoiding the penalty o...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
watching a smooth
Looking for a temporary subsidence of the waves of a head-sea, previous to easing down the helm, in ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
wetting a commission
Giving an entertainment to shipmates on receiving promotion.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
will, with a
With all zeal and energy.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
winding a call
The act of blowing or piping on a boatswain's whistle, to communicate the necessary orders. (See cal...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
with a will
Pull all together.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
working a lunar
Reducing the observations of the sun and moon, or moon and stars, in order to find the longitude. Al...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
banbury story of a cock and a bull
A roundabout, nonsensical story.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
veer a buoy in a ship's wake, to
To slack out a rope to which a buoy has been attached, and let it go astern, for the purpose of brin...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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A mensa et thoro
·- A kind of divorce which does not dissolve the marriage bond, but merely authorizes a separate lif...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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A. F. of L.
·add. ·- American Federation of Labor.
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Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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agog, all-a-gog
Anxious, eager, impatient: from the Italian AGOGARE, to desire eagerly.
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Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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ax my a-e
A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denominati...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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birds of a feather
Rogues of the same gang.
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Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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dog in a doublet
A daring, resolute fellow. In Germany and Flanders the boldest dogs used to hunt the boar, having a ...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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gutting a quart pot
Taking out the lining of it: i. e. drinking it off. Gutting an oyster; eating it. Gutting a house; c...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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jack at a pinch
A poor hackney parson.
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Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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jack in a box
A sharper, or cheat. A child in the mother's womb.
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Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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jury mast. a journiere
mast; i.e. a mast for the day or occasion.
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Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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kiss mine a-se
An offer, as Fielding observes, very frequently made, but never, as he could learn, literally accept...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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merry a-se christian
A whore.
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Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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sick as a horse
Horses are said to be extremely sick at their stomachs, from being unable to relieve themselves by v...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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thief in a candle
Part of the wick or snuff, which falling on the tallow, burns and melts it, and causing it to gutter...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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to shake a stick at
A ridiculous phrase very often heard in low language. When a man is puzzled to give one an idea of a...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.