-
Back-fire
·add. ·vi To have or experience a back fire or back fires;
— said of an internal-combustion engine....
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Back
·noun A ferryboat. ·see <<Bac>>, 1.
II. Back ·adv (Of time) In times past; ago.
III. Back ·noun Th...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
back
is often used for ago; as in the phrase, "a little while back," i. e. "a short time ago."
Behind th...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
back
♦ To back an anchor. To carry a small anchor ahead of the one by which the ship rides, to partake of...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Fire
·vt To drive by fire.
II. Fire ·vt To <<Cauterize>>.
III. Fire ·vi To be irritated or inflamed wit...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Fire
1) For sacred purposes. The sacrifices were consumed by fire (Gen. 8:20). The ever-burning fire on t...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
to fire
To fling with the hand, as a stone or other missile.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
fire!
The order to put the match to the priming, or pull the trigger of a cannon or other fire-arm so as t...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Fire
is represented as the symbol of Jehovah's presence and the instrument of his power, in the way eithe...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
Back door
·- A door in the back part of a building; hence, an indirect way.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Back stairs
·- Stairs in the back part of a house, as distinguished from the front stairs; hence, a private or i...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Diamond-back
·noun The salt-marsh terrapin of the Atlantic coast (Malacoclemmys palustris).
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Hog's-back
·noun A <<Hogback>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Warty-back
·add. ·noun An American fresh-water mussel (Quadrula pustulosa). Its shell is used in making buttons...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Water back
·- ·see under 1st Back.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Watteau back
·add. ·- The back of a woman's gown in which one or more very broad folds are carried from the neck ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Back Alley
See Little Bell Alley, Copthall Buildings.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Back Court
North out of Cloth Fair at No.21 and east, parallel to and between Long Lane and Cloth Fair (P.O. Di...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Back Yard
1) Out of Pelican Court, Little Britain (Strype, 1755-Boyle, 1799).
Not named in the maps.
2) Out ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
back biter
One who slanders another behind his back, i.e. in his absence. His bosom friends are become his back...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
back up
His back is up, i.e. he is offended or angry; an expression or idea taken from a cat; that animal, w...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
back door
(usher, or gentleman of the)
A sodomite.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
bloody back
A jeering appellation for a soldier, alluding to his scarlet coat.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
bully back
A bully to a bawdy-house; one who is kept in pay, to oblige the frequenters of the house to submit t...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
crook back
Sixpence; for the reason of this name, see CRIPPLE.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
back-blocks
n.
1) The far interior ofAustralia, and away from settled country. Land in Australia isdivided on t...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
back-block
adj.
from the interior.
1891. Rolf Boldrewood, `Sydneyside Saxon,' vol. xii. p. 215:
«`What a nic...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
back-blocker
n.
a resident in the back-blocks.
1870. `The Argus,' March 22, p. 7, col. 2
«I am a bushman, a ba...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
back-slanging
verbal n.
In the back-blocks (q.v.) of Australia, where hotels are naturally scarce andinferior, th...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
fiddle-back
n.
name given inAustralia to the beetle, Schizorrhina australasiae.
...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
mealy-back
n.
a local name for the locust (q.v.).
...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
saddle-back
n.
a bird of the North Island ofNew Zealand, Creadion carunculatus, Cab. See also Jack-bird and Cre...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
to back out
To retreat from a difficulty, to refuse to fulfil a promise or engagement. A metaphor borrowed from ...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
pick-back
On the back.--Johnson. We often use the word with children. To ride pick-back, is for a child to rid...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
u-back
U-BLOCK, &c. ; a christmas-block. See yu-batch. N.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
back-board
A board across the stern sheets of a boat to support the back of passengers; and also to form the bo...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
back-cutting
When the water-level is such that the excavation of a canal, or other channel, does not furnish eart...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
back-frame
A vertical wheel for turning the three whirlers of a small rope-machine.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
back-her
The order, in steam-navigation, directing the engineer to reverse the movement of the cranks and urg...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
back-rope
The rope-pendant, or small chain for staying the dolphin-striker. Also a piece long enough to reach ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
back-staff
A name formerly given to a peculiar sea-quadrant, because the back of the observer was turned toward...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
back-strapped
As a ship carried round to the back of Gibraltar by a counter-current and eddies of wind, the strong...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
back-sweep
That which forms the hollow of the top-timber of a frame.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
back-water
The swell of the sea thrown back, or rebounded by its contact with any solid body. Also the loss of ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
beaten back
Returning into port from stress of foul weather.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
heckle-back
A name of the fifteen-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus spinachia.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
razor-back
The fin-whale (Balænoptera), so called from its prominent dorsal fin. It usually attains the length ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
strong-back
The same with Samson's post (which see). Also, an adaptation of a strong piece of wood over the wind...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
swart-back
The Larus marinus, or great black and white gull.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
thorn-back
A well-known fish of the ray kind, Raia clavata.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
walk back!
A method in cases where a purchase must not be lowered by a round turn, as "Walk back the capstan;" ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Anthony's Fire
·- ·see Saint Anthony's Fire, under <<Saint>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Ash-fire
·noun A low fire used in chemical operations.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Elmo's fire
·- ·see <<Corposant>>; also Saint Elmo's Fire, under <<Saint>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Fire beetle
·- A very brilliantly luminous beetle (Pyrophorus noctilucus), one of the elaters, found in Central ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Fire-fanged
·adj Injured as by fire; burned;
— said of manure which has lost its goodness and acquired an ashy ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Fire-new
·adj Fresh from the forge; bright; quite new; brand-new.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Fire-set
·noun A set of fire irons, including, commonly, tongs, shovel, and poker.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Knobbling fire
·- A bloomery fire. ·see <<Bloomery>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Pin-fire
·add. ·adj Having a firing pin to explode the cartridge; as, a pin-fire rifle.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Rapid-fire
·add. ·adj ·Alt. of Rapid-firing.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Rim-fire
·add. ·adj Having the percussion fulminate in a rim surrounding the base, distinguished from center-...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
fire priggers
Villains who rob at fires under pretence of assisting in removing the goods.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
fire ship
A wench who has the venereal disease.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
fire shovel
He or she when young, was fed with a fire shovel; a saying of persons with wide mouths.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
spit fire
A violent, pettish, or passionate person.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
bush-fire
n.
forests and grass on fire in hotsummers.
1868. C. Dilke, `Greater Britain,' vol. ii. part iii. ...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
fire-stick
n.
name given to thelighted stick which the Australian natives frequently carryabout, when moving f...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
fire-tree
n.
a tree of New Zealand; anothername for Pohutukawa (q.v.). For QueenslandFire-tree, see Tulip-tre...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
to fire away
To begin; to go on. An expression borrowed from the language of soldiers and sailors.
A well-known ...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
fire-cracker
A little paper cylinder filled with powder or combustible matter, imported from China. It receives i...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
fire-new
New from the forge; brand-new.--Johnson. This old and nearly obsolete expression is sometimes used b...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
cold fire
a fire laid ready for lighting. York.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
shel fire
electric sparks, often seen on clothes at night. Kent.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
fire-elding
The word Fire is redundant; for Elding itself means fuel.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
fire-flaughts
lightning, or the northern lights. N.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
fire-potter
a poker. Lane.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
concentrated fire
The bringing the whole or several guns to bear on a single point.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
curved fire
A name coming into use with the increasing application of the fire of heavy and elongated shells to ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
direct fire
One of the five varieties into which artillerists usually divide horizontal fire (which see).
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
enfilade fire
Is that which sweeps a line of works or men from one end to the other; it is on land nearly the equi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-flaire
See fiery-flaw
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-arms
Every description of arms that discharge missiles by gunpowder, from the heaviest cannon to a pistol...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-arrows
Missiles in olden times carrying combustibles; much used in the sea-fights of the middle ages.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-away
Go on with your remarks.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-ball
In meteorology, a beautiful phenomenon seen at times, the origin of which is as yet imperfectly acco...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-balls
Are used for destroying vessels run aground, and firing buildings. They are made of a composition of...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-bare
An old term from the Anglo-Saxon for beacon.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-bars
The range fronting a steam-boiler.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-bill
The distribution of the officers and crew in case of the alarm of fire, a calamity requiring judicio...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-booms
Long spars swung out from a ship's side to prevent the approach of fire-ships, fire-stages, or vesse...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-box
A space crossing the whole front of the boiler over the furnace doors, opposite the smoke-box.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-buckets
Canvas, leather, or wood buckets for quarters, each fitted with a sinnet laniard of regulated length...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-door
An access to the fire-place of an engine.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-drake
A meteor, or the Corpo Santo. Also, a peculiar fire-work, which Shakspeare in Henry VIII. thus menti...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-eater
One notoriously fond of being in action; much humbled by iron-clads.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-flaughts
The aurora borealis, or northern lights.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-hearth
The security base of the galley-range and all its conveniences.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-hoops
A combustible invented by the knights of Malta to throw among their besiegers, and afterwards used i...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-lock
Formerly the common name for a musket; the fire-arm carried by a foot-soldier, marine, or small-arm ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-rafts
Timber constructions bearing combustible matters, used by the Chinese to destroy an enemy's vessel.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-rails
See rails.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-roll
A peculiar beat of the drum to order people to their stations on an alarm of fire. Summons to quarte...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-screens
Pieces of fear-nought, a thick woollen felt put round the hatchways in action.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-ship
A vessel filled with combustible materials, and fitted with grappling-irons, to hook and set fire to...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-swab
The bunch of rope-yarns sometimes secured to the tompion, saturated with water to cool the gun in ac...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-works
See pyrotechny.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
galling-fire
A sustained discharge of cannon, or small arms, which by its execution greatly annoys the enemy.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
grazing-fire
That which sweeps close to the surface it defends.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-fire
The morning or evening guns, familiarly termed "the admiral falling down the hatchway."
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
hang-fire
When the priming burns without igniting the cartridge, or the charge does not rapidly ignite after p...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
horizontal fire
From artillery, is that in which the piece is laid either direct on the object, or with but small el...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
plunging fire
A pitching discharge of shot from a higher level, at such an angle that the shot do not ricochet.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
port-fire
A stick of composition, generally burning an inch a minute, used to convey fire from the slow-match ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
vertical fire
In artillery, that directed upward at such an angle as that it will fall vertically, or nearly so, t...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Back Bear Alley
On the south side of Bear Alley, Fleet Market, in Farringdon (Lockie, 1810 and 1816).
Former names ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Ebgate Back Alley
Mentioned in the registers of St. Laurence Pountney, 1628 (Wilson, p. 132).
Not further identified....
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Northumberland Back Alley
West out of Northumberland Alley. In Aldgate Ward (O.S. 1880).
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
back gammon player
A sodomite.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
back and forth
Backwards and forwards, applied to a person in walking, as, "He was walking back and forth." A commo...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
back-o'-beyond
Said of an unknown distance.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
back off all
The order when the harpooner has thrown his harpoon into the whale. Also, to back off a sudden dange...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
canvas-back duck
An American wild duck (Fuligula valisneria), which takes this name from the colour of the back feath...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fall back, to
To recede from any position previously occupied.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
put back, to
To return to port generally the last left.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Rapid-fire mount
·add. ·- A mount permitting easy and quick elevation or depression and training of the gun, and fitt...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Flame of fire
Is the chosen symbol of the holiness of God (Ex. 3:2; Rev. 2:18), as indicating "the intense, all-co...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
Fire Ball Alley
See Partridge Court.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Fire Ball court
East out of Houndsditch. In Portsoken Ward (25 Eliz. 1583) (Lond. Inq. p.m. III. p. 64) to O.S. 25 i...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Fire Ball Court
Near First (Aldermanbury) Postern, London Wall (Strype, ed. 1755-Boyle, 1799).
Not named in the map...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Fire of London
In 1666, from September 2nd to 6th.
Commenced at the house of a baker in Pudding Lane, near London ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Sun Fire Office
See Bank Buildings1, Cornhill.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
to fire a slug
To drink a dram.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
hell fire dick
The Cambridge driver of the Telegraph. The favorite companion of the University fashionables, and th...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
elmo's fire, st.
See compasant.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire, loss by
Is within the policy of insurance, whether it be by accident, or by the fault of the master or marin...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-and-lights
Nickname of the master-at-arms.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fire-hearth-carline
The timber let in under the beams on which the fire-hearth stands, with pillars underneath, and choc...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
repeating fire-arm
One by which a number of charges, previously inserted, may be fired off in rapid succession, or afte...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
The Back Alley, Cloth Fair
See Back Court.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Back Alley, Bear Alley
South out of Bear Alley and west to Fleet Market (Rocque, 1746-Dodsley, 1761). See Back Bear Alley.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Back Alley, Shoe Lane
East out of Shoe Lane, in Farringdon Ward Without (Rocque, 1746-Boyle, 1799).
Site now occupied by ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Back Gravel Lane, Houndsditch
South out of Stoney Lane at No.40 to Gravel Lane (q.v.). In Portsoken Ward (P.O. Directory).
First ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Back Streate, Cloth Fair
See Back Court.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Back Street, Little Moorfields
See Moorfields.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
back, of a ship
The keel and kelson are figuratively thus termed.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
back of the post
An additional timber bolted to the after-part of the stern-post, and forming its after-face.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Burnt in the Fire 1666.
Not further identified.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
false fire, blue flames
A composition of combustibles filled into a wooden tube, which, upon being set fire to, burns with a...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Back Alley, Three Crane Lane
A passage to the Thames out of Three Crane Lane (Rocque, 1746-Boyle, 1799). In Vintry Ward.
The all...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Back Alley, Three Foxes Court
Out of Three Foxes Court, Long Lane, West Smithfield (Strype, 1755-Boyle, 1799).
Not named in the m...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Back Alley, Yard, Little Moorfields
West out of Back Street, Little Moorfields, with passage south to Moor Lane (Strype, ed. 1720), and ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
pissing down any one's back
Flattering him.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
Hand in Hand Fire Office
At No. 1 Bridge Street, Blackfriars, on the east side (Elmes, 1831).
Est. 1696 in Angel Court, Snow...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Phoenix Assurance Co., Fire Offlce
On the south side of Lombard Street at the northeast corner of Abchurch Lane at No.19 (P.O. Director...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
to fire into the wrong flock
is a metaphorical expression used at the West, denoting that one has mistaken his object, as when a ...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
Back Alley, Great Gardens, St. Katherine's
North out of the Great Gardens, St. Katherine's Lane, East Smithfield (Rocque, 1746-Lockie, 1816).
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Back, Backside, of St. Thomas Apostles
See Little St. Thomas Apostles.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
try back for a bend, to
To pay back some of the bight of a cable, in order to have sufficient to form the bend.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
to have one's fat in the fire
is to have one's plans frustrated. A vulgar expression borrowed from the vocabulary of the kitchen.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
Back Alley, Dean's Court, St. Martin's le Grand
South out of Dean's Court to New Rents, east of St. Martin's le Grand, in Aldersgate Ward Within (Ro...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.