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SPANISH COIN. Fair words and compliments.
SPANISH FAGGOT. The sun.
SPANISH GOUT. The pox.
SPANISH PADLOCK. A kind of girdle contrived by jealous
husbands of that nation, to secure the chastity of their
wives.
SPANISH, or KING OF SPAIN'S TRUMPETER. An ass
when braying.
SPANISH WORM. A nail: so called by carpenters when they
meet with one in a board they are sawing.
SPANKS, or SPANKERS. Money; also blows with the open
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hand.
SPANKING. Large.
SPARK. A spruce, trim, or smart fellow. A man that is
always thirsty, is said to have a spark in his throat.
SPARKISH. Fine, gay.
SPARKING BLOWS. Blows given by cocks before they close,
or, as the term is, mouth it: used figuratively for words
previous to a quarrel.
SPARROW. Mumbling a sparrow; a cruel sport frequently
practised at wakes and fairs: for a small premium, a booby
having his hands tied behind him, has the wing of a cock
sparrow put into his mouth: with this hold, without any
other assistance than the motion of his lips, he is to get the
sparrow's head into his mouth: on attempting to do it, the
bird defends itself surprisingly, frequently pecking the
mumbler till his lips are covered with blood, and he is
obliged to desist: to prevent the bird from getting away, he
is fastened by a string to a button of the booby's coat.
SPARROW-MOUTHED. Wide-mouthed, like the mouth of a
sparrow: it is said of such persons, that they do not hold
their mouths by lease, but have it from year to year; i.e.
from ear to ear. One whose mouth cannot be enlarged
without removing their ears, and who when they yawn
have their heads half off.
SPATCH COCK. [Abbreviation of DISPATCH COCK.] A hen just
killed from the roost, or yard, and immediately skinned,
split, and broiled: an Irish dish upon any sudden occasion.
TO SPEAK WITH. To rob. I spoke with the cull on the
cherry-coloured prancer; I robbed the man on the black
horse. CANT.
SPEAK. Any thing stolen. He has made a good speak; he
has stolen something considerable.
SPECKED WHIPER. A coloured hankerchief. CANT.
SPICE. To rob. Spice the swell; rob the gentleman.
SPICE ISLANDS. A privy. Stink-hole bay or dilberry creek.
The fundament.
SPIDER-SHANKED. Thin-legged.
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TO SPIFLICATE. To confound, silence, or dumbfound.
SPILT. A small reward or gift.
SPILT. Thrown from a horse, or overturned in a carriage;
pray, coachee, don't spill us.
SPINDLE SHANKS. Slender legs.
TO SPIRIT AWAY. To kidnap, or inveigle away.
SPIRITUAL FLESH BROKER. A parson.
SPIT. He is as like his father as if he was spit out of his
mouth; said of a child much resembling his father.
SPIT. A sword.
SPIT FIRE. A violent, pettish, or passionate person.
SPLICED. Married: an allusion to joining two ropes ends by
splicing. SEA TERM.
SPLIT CROW. The sign of the spread eagle, which being
represented with two heads on one neck, gives it somewhat
the appearance of being split.
SPLIT CAUSE. A lawyer.
SPLIT FIG. A grocer.
SPLIT IRON. The nick-name for a smith.
SPOONEY. (WHIP) Thin, haggard, like the shank of a spoon;
also delicate, craving for something, longing for sweets.
Avaricious. That tit is damned spooney. She's a spooney
piece of goods. He's a spooney old fellow.
SPOIL PUDDING. A parson who preaches long sermons,
keeping his congregation in church till the puddings are
overdone.
TO SPORT. To exhibit: as, Jack Jehu sported a new gig
yesterday: I shall sport a new suit next week. To sport
or flash one's ivory; to shew one's teeth. To sport timber;
to keep one's outside door shut; this term is used in the
inns of court to signify denying one's self. N.B. The
word SPORT was in great vogue ann. 1783 and 1784.
SPUNGE. A thirsty fellow, a great drinker. To spunge; to
eat and drink at another's cost. Spunging-house: a bailiff's
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lock-up-house, or repository, to which persons arrested are
taken, till they find bail, or have spent all their money: a
house where every species of fraud and extortion is practised
under the protection of the law.
SPUNK. Rotten touchwood, or a kind of fungus prepared
for tinder; figuratively, spirit, courage.
SPOON HAND. The right hand.
TO SPOUT. To rehearse theatrically.
SPOUTING CLUB. A meeting of apprentices and mechanics
to rehearse different characters in plays: thus forming
recruits for the strolling companies.
SPOUTING. Theatrical declamation.
SPOUTED. Pawned.
SPREAD. Butter.
SPREAD EAGLE. A soldier tied to the halberts in order to
be whipped; his attitude bearing some likeness to that
figure, as painted on signs.
SPREE. A frolic. Fun. A drinking bout. A party of
pleasure.
SPRING-ANKLE WAREHOUSE. Newgate, or any other gaol:
IRISH.
SQUAB. A fat man or woman: from their likeness to a
well-stuffed couch, called also a squab. A new-hatched
chicken.
SQUARE. Honest, not roguish. A square cove, i.e. a
man who does not steal, or get his living by dishonest
means.
SQUARE TOES. An old man: square toed shoes were [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]