HODMANDODS. Snails in their shells.
HODMANDODS. Snails in their shells.
BOLT. A blunt arrow.
CATERPILLAR. A nick name for a soldier. In the year
1745, a soldier quartered at a house near Derby, was desired
by his landlord to call upon him, whenever he came
that way; for, added he, soldiers are the pillars of the
nation. The rebellion being finished, it happened the same
regiment was quartered in Derbyshire, when the soldier
resolved to accept of his landlord's invitation, and
accordingly obtained leave to go to him: but, on his arrival,
he was greatly surprised to find a very cold reception;
whereupon expostulating with his landlord, he reminded him of
his invitation, and the circumstance of his having said,
soldiers were the pillars of the nation. If I did, answered the
host, I meant CATERpiliars.
CHAW BACON. A countryman. A stupid fellow.
CART. To put the cart before the horse; to mention the
last part of a story first. To be flogged at the cart's a-se or
tail; persons guilty of petty larceny are frequently
sentenced to be tied to the tail of a cart, and whipped by the
common executioner, for a certain distance: the degree
of severity in the execution is left to the discretion of the
executioner, who, it is said, has cats of nine tails of all
prices.
BELLY PLEA. The plea of pregnancy, generally adduced by
female felons capitally convicted, which they take care to
provide for, previous to their trials; every gaol having, as
the Beggar's Opera informs us, one or more child getters,
who qualify the ladies for that expedient to procure a respite.
CARTING. The punishment formerly inflicted on bawds,
who were placed in a tumbrel or cart, and led through
a town, that their persons might be known.
BELLY CHEAT. An apron.
BELLYFULL. A hearty beating, sufficient to make a man
yield or give out. A woman with child is also said to
have got her belly full.
GUNPOWDER. An old Woman. CANT.
CARVEL'S RING. The private parts of a woman. Ham
Carvel, a jealous old doctor, being in bed with his wife,
dreamed that the Devil gave him a ring, which, so long as
he had it on his finger, would prevent his being made a
cuckold: waking he found he had got his finger the Lord
knows where. See Rabelais, and Prior's versification of
the story.
CACKLER'S KEN. A hen roost. CANT.
JACK ADAMS. A fool. Jack Adams's parish; Clerkenwell.
JACK IN A BOX, A sharper, or cheat. A child in the mother's
womb.
BELLY. His eye was bigger than his belly; a saying of a
person at a table, who takes more on his plate than he
can eat.
MAIDEN SESSIONS. A sessions where none of the prisoners
are capitally convicted.
MAWKES. A vulgar slattern.
MOTHER OF ALL SAINTS. The Monosyllable.
BELLOWSER. Transportation for life: i.e. as long.
NEWMAN'S HOTEL. Newgate.
NlCKNACKATORY. A toyshop.
NIGHTMAN. One whose business it is to empty necessary
houses in London, which is always done in the night; the
operation is called a wedding. See WEDDING.
CACKLING CHEATS. Fowls. CANT.
BOTCH. A nick name for a taylor.
ODDS PLUT AND HER NAILS. A Welch oath, frequently
mentioned in a jocular manner by persons, it is hoped,
ignorant of its meaning; which is, By God's blood, and
the nails with which he was nailed to the cross.
ODD-COME-SHORTLYS. I'll do it one of these odd-come-shortly's;
I will do it some time or another.
CARROTTY-PATED. Ginger-hackled, red-haired. See
GINGER-HACKLED.
BOTTOM. A polite term for the posteriors. Also, in the
sporting sense, strength and spirits to support fatigue; as
a bottomed horse. Among bruisers it is used to express
a hardy fellow, who will bear a good beating.
BELLOWER. The town crier.
BELLOWS. The lungs.