Je lui jaspine en bigorne,Qu’as-tu donc à morfiller?J’ai du chenu pivois sans lance,Et du larton savonné.Vidocq.Chenument(popular),very well;very good.Cher(thieves’),se cavaler ——,to decamp quickly,to“guy.” SeePatatrot.Chérance,f.(thieves’),être en ——,to be intoxicated, or “canon.”Cherche(popular),nothing, or “love.”Etre dix à ——,to be ten to love at billiards.Chercher(popular),la gueulée,to be a parasite, a “quiller.” (Familiar and popular)Chercher des poux à la tête de quelqu’un,to find fault with one on futile pretexts;to try and fasten on a quarrel.Chérez!(thieves’),courage!cheer up!never say die!Villon, 15th century, has “chère lye,”a joyous countenance.Chetard,m.(thieves’),prison, or “stir.” SeeMotte.Chétif,m.(popular),mason’s boy.Cheulard,m.(popular),gormandizer, “grand-paunch.”Cheval,m.(popular and thieves’),de retour,old offender;returned or escaped convict sent back to the convict settlement. Termed also “trique,canne.”Me voilà donc cheval de retour, on me remet à Toulon, cette fois avec les bonnets verts.—V.Hugo.(Military)Cheval de l’adjudant,camp bed of cell; (familiar)—— qui la connaît dans les coins,a clever horse. Literallyskilful at turning the corners. (Popular)Faire son —— de corbillard,to put on a jaunty look;to give oneself conceited airs;to bluster, or, as the Americans say, “to be on the tall grass.”Chevalier,m.(popular),de la courte lance,hospital assistant;—— de la grippe,thief, or “prig.” SeeGrinche.Chevalier de la manchette,Sodomist;—— de la pédale,one who works a card-printing machine;—— de l’aune,shopman, or “knight of the yard;”—— de salon,de tapis vert,gamester;—— du bidet,women’s bully, or “pensioner.” SeePoisson.Chevalier du crochet,rag-picker, or “bone-grubber;”—— du lansquenet,gambling cheat who has recourse to the card-sharping trick denominated“le pont” (which see);—— du lustre, “claqueur,”that is, one who is paid for applauding at theatres;—— du printemps, orde l’ordre du printemps,silly fellow who flowers his button-hole to make it appear that he has the decoration of the “Légion d’Honneur;”—— grimpant, seeVoleur au bonjour.Chevau-léger,m.(familiar),ultra-Conservative of the Legitimist and Clerical party. Thechevau-légerswere formerly a corps of household cavalry.Chevaux,m. pl.(popular),à doubles semelles,legs. Compare the English expression, “to ride Shank’s mare, or pony.”Chevelu,adj.(familiar),art ——,littérateur ——,poète ——,art, literary man, poet of the “école romantique,” of which the chief in literature wasVictor Hugo.Cheveu,m.(familiar),difficulty;trouble;hindrance;hitch. Voilàle ——,ay, there’s the rub.J’ai un ——,I have some trouble on my mind, reason for uneasiness.Il y a un —— dans son bonheur,there is some trouble that mars his happiness. (Popular)Avoir un —— pour un homme,to fancy a man. (Theatrical)Cheveu,unintentional jumbling of words by transposition of syllables. This kind of mistake when intentionalRabelaistermed “équivoquer.”En l’aultre deux ou trois miroirs ardents dont il faisait enrager aulcunes fois les hommes et les femmes et leur faisait perdre contenance à l’ecclise. Car il disait qu’il n’y avait qu’une antistrophe entre femme folle à la messe et femme molle à la fesse.—Rabelais,Pantagruel.See alsoŒuvres de Rabelais(Garnier’s edition),Pantagruel, page 159.Cheveux,m.(familiar and popular),avoir mal aux ——,to have a headache caused by overnight potations.Faire des —— gris à quelqu’un,to trouble one,to give anxiety to one.Se faire des —— blancs,to fret;to feel annoyed at being made to wait a long time.Trouver des —— à tout,to find fault with everything. (Military)Passer la main dans les ——,to cut one’s hair.Chevillard,m.(popular),butcher in a small way.Chevilles,f.(popular),fried potatoes. Termed “greasers” at theR. M.Academy.Chévinette,f.(popular),darling.Chèvre,f.(popular),gober sa ——,to get angry,to bristle up, “to lose one’s shirt,” “to get one’s monkey up.”Chevron,m.(thieves’),fresh offence against the law. Properlymilitary stripe.Chevronné,m.(thieves’),old offender,an old“jail-bird.”Chevrotin,adj.(popular),irritable, “cranky,” “touchy.”Chiade,f.(schoolboys’),hustling,pushing.Chialler(thieves’),to squall;to weep.Bon, tu chial’! ah! c’est pas palas.—Richepin.Chiarder(schoolboys’),to work, “to sweat.”Chiasse,f.(popular),avoir la ——,to suffer from diarrhœa, or “jerry-go-nimble.”Chibis,m.(thieves’),faire ——,to escape from prison;to decamp, “to guy.” SeePatatrot.J’ai fait chibis. J’avais la frousseDes préfectanciers de Pantin.A Pantin, mince de potin!On y connaît ma gargarousse.Richepin,Chanson des Gueux.Chic,m.(English slang), “tzing tzing,” or “slap up.” The word has almost ceased to be slang, but we thought it would not be out of place in a work of this kind. (Familiar)Chic,finish;elegance;dash;spirit.Une femme qui a du ——,une robe qui a du ——,a stylish woman or dress.Cet acteur joue avec ——,this actor plays in a spirited manner.Ça manque de ——,it wants dash, is commonplace.Pourri de ——,most elegant, “nobby.”Chic,knack;originality;manner.Il a le ——,he has the knack.Il a un —— tout particulier,he has a manner quite his own.Il a le —— militaire,he has a soldier-like appearance.Peindre de ——,faire de ——,écrire de ——,to paint or write with imaginative power, but without much regard for accuracy.Vous croyez peut-être que j’invente, que je brode d’imagination et que je fais de chic cette seconde vie.—Richepin.Chic,chique,adj.,excellent, “fizzing;”dashing,stylish.Un pékin ——,well-dressed, rich man.Un homme ——,a man of fashion,a well-dressed one,a well-to-do man.Un —— homme,a good, excellent man.Chican,m.(thieves’),hammer.Chicandard.SeeChicard.Chicander(popular),to dance the “Chicard step.”SeeChicard.Chicane,f.(thieves’),grinchir à la ——,stealing the purse or watch of a person while standing in front of him, but with the back turned towards him—a feat which requires no ordinary dexterity.Chicard,m.(popular),buffoon character of the carnival, in fashion from 1830 to 1850. The first who impersonated it was a leather-seller, who invented a new eccentric step, considered to be exceedingly “chic;” hence probably his nickname of Chicard. His “get-up” consisted of a helmet with high plume, jackboots, a flannel frock, and large cavalry gloves.Pas ——,step invented byM.Chicard.Chicard,chicancardo,chicandard,adj.,superlative of“chic,” “tip-top,” “out and out,” “slap up,” “tzing tzing.”Chicarder,to dance the Chicard step. SeeChicard.Chic et contre,warning which mountebanks address to one another.Chiche!(popular),an exclamation expressive of defiance.Chickstrac,m.(military),refuse,dung,excrement.Corvée de ——,fatigue duty for sweeping away the refuse, and especially for emptying cesspools.Chicmann,m.(popular),tailor. A great many tailors in Paris bear Germanic names; hence the termination of the word.Chicorée,f.(popular),c’est fort de ——,it is really too bad!Ficher de la ——,to reprimand, “to give a wigging.”Faire sa ——,is said of a person with affected or“high-falutin”airs.Ne fais donc pas ta ——,don’t give yourself such airs, “come off the tall grass,” as the Americans have it.Chié,adj.(popular),tout ——, “as like as two peas.”Chie-dans-l’eau,m.(military),sailor.Chien,m.andadj.(popular),noyé,sugar soaked in coffee. (Journalists’)Un —— perdu,short newspaper paragraph. (Schoolboys’)Un —— de cour,school usher, or “bum brusher.” (Military)Un —— de compagnie,a sergeant major.Un —— de régiment,adjutant. (Familiar and popular)Le —— du commissaire,police magistrate’s secretary. The commissaire is a police functionary and petty magistrate. He examines privately cases brought before him, sends prisoners for trial, or dismisses them at once, settles then and there disputes between coachmen and their fares, sometimes between husbands and wives, makes perquisitions. He possesses to a certain extent discretionary powers.Avoir du ——,to possess dash, go, “gameness.”Il faut avoir du —— dans le ventre pour résister,one must have wonderful staying powers to resist.Avoir un —— pour un homme,to be infatuated with a man.Faire le ——,is said of a servant who follows with a basket in the wake of her mistress going to market.Rester en —— de faience,to remain immovable, like a block.Se regarder en —— de faience,to look at one another without uttering a word.Piquer un ——,to take a nap.Dormir en —— de fusil,to sleep with the body doubled up.Une coiffure à la ——,mode of wearing the hair loose on the forehead. (Military)Un officier ——,a martinet.Chiendent,m.,arracher le ——. SeeArracher.Chier(popular),coarse word;—— dans la vanette,to be too free and easy;—— de petites crottes,to earn little money;to live in poverty;—— des carottes,to be costive;—— des chasses,to weep, “to nap a bib;”—— du poivre,to fail in keeping one’s promise;to abscond;to vanish when one’s services or help are most needed;—— sur l’œil,to laugh at one;—— sur,to show great contempt for;to abandon.Ne pas —— de grosses crottes,to have had a bad dinner, or no dinner at all.Vous me faites ——,you bore me.Un gueuleton à —— partout,a grand feast.Une mine à —— dessus,a repulsive countenance. (Printers’)Chier dans le cassetin aux apostrophes,to cease to be a printer.Chieur,m.(popular),d’encre,clerk, or “quill-driver.”Chiffarde,f.(thieves’),summons;pipe.Chiffe,f.(popular),rag-picking;tongue, “red rag.”Chifferlinde,f.(popular),boire une ——,to drink a dram of spirits.Chifferton,m.(popular),rag-picker, “bone-grubber,” or “tot-picker.”Chiffon,m.(popular),handkerchief, “snottinger;”—— rouge,tongue, “red rag.”Balancer le —— rouge,to talk, “to wag the red rag.”Chiffonnage,m.(popular),plunder of a rag-picker.Chiffonnier,m.(thieves’),pickpocket who devotes his attention to handkerchiefs, “stook-hauler;”man of disorderly habits. (Literary).Chiffonnier de la double colline,bad poet.Chiffornion,m.(popular),silk handkerchief, or silk“wipe.”Chiffortin,m.(popular),rag-picker, “bone-grubber,” or “tot-picker.”Chignard,m.(popular),inveterate grumbler, “rusty guts.”Chigner(popular),to weep, “to nap a bib.”Chimique,f.(popular),lucifer match.Chinage.SeeChine.Vol au ——,selling plated trinkets for the genuine article.Chincilla(popular),grey, or “pepper and salt”hair.Chine.Aller à la ——,to ply the trade ofchineur(which see).Chiner(military),to slander one;to ridicule one; (popular)to work;to go in quest of good bargains;to buy furniture at sales and resell it;to follow the pursuit of an old clothes man;to hawk;to go about the country buying heads of hair from peasant girls.Chineur, ormargoulin,m.(thieves’),one who goes about the country buying heads of hair of peasant girls. (Military)Chineur,slanderer; (popular)rabbit-skin man;marine store dealer;worker;hawker of cheap stuffs or silk handkerchiefs.En argot, chineur signifie travailleur, et vient du verbe chiner.... Mais ce mot se spécialise pour désigner particulièrement une race de travailleurssui generis....Elle campe en deux tribus à Paris. L’une habite le pâté de maisons qui se hérisse entre la place Maubert et le petit bras de la Seine, et notamment rue des Anglais. L’autre niche en haut de Ménilmontant, et a donné autrefois son nom à la rue de la Chine....Les chineurs sont, d’ailleurs, des colons et non des Parisiens de naissance. Chaque génération vient ici chercher fortune, et s’en retourne ensuite au pays.—Richepin,Le Pavé.Chinois,m.(popular),an individual, a “bloke,” a “cove;”proprietor of coffee-house; (familiar)term of friendship; (military)term of contempt applied to civilians, hence probably the expression “pékin,”civilian.Chinoiserie,f.(familiar),quaint joke;intricate and quaint procedure or contrivance.Chipe,f.(popular),prigging. Fromchiper,to purloin.Chipette,f.(popular),trifle;nothing;Lesbian woman, that is, one with unnatural passions.Chipie,f.(familiar). Literallygirl or woman with a testy temper, a “brim.”Faire sa ——,to put on an air of supreme disdain or disgust.Chipoteuse,f.(popular),capricious woman.Chiquandar. SeeChicard.Chique. SeeChic.Chique,f.Properlyquid of tobacco. (Popular)Avoir sa ——,to be in a bad humour, “to be crusty,” or “cranky.”Avoir une ——,to be drunk, or “screwed.” SeePompette.Ça te coupe la ——,that’s disappointing for you, that“cuts you up.”Coller sa ——,to bend one’s head.Couper la —— à quinze pas,to stink.Poser sa ——,to die;to be still.Pose ta —— et fais le mort!be still!shut up!hold your row!(Thieves’)Chique,church.Chiqué(artists’),smartly executed. Alsosaid of artistic work done quickly without previously studying nature. (Popular)Bien ——,well dressed.Chiquement,withchic(which see).Chiquer(familiar),to do anything in a superior manner;to do artistic work with more brilliancy than accuracy; (popular)to thrash, “to wallop,” seeVoie;to eat, “to grub,” seeMastiquer.Se ——,to fight, “to drop into one another.”Chiquer contreorbattre à niort(thieves’),to deny one’s guilt.Chiqueur,m.(popular),glutton, “stodger;” (artists’)an artist who paints with smartness, or one who draws or paints without studying nature.Chirurgien,m.(popular),en vieux,cobbler.Chnic.SeeChenique.Chocaillon,m.(popular),female rag-picker;female drunkard, or “lushington.”Chocnoso,chocnosof,chocnosogue,koscnoff,excellent,remarkable,brilliant, “crushing,” “nobby,” “tip-top,” “fizzing.”Chocotte,f.(rag-pickers’),marrow bone; (thieves’)tooth.Choléra,m.(popular),zinc or zinc-worker;bad meat.Cholet,m.(popular),white bread of superior quality.Cholette,f.(thieves’),half a litre.Double ——,a litre.Choper(popular),to steal, “to prig.” SeeGrinchir. Old word choper,to touch anything,to make it fall.Se laisser ——,to allow oneself to be caught,to be“nabbed.”Chopin,m.(thieves’),theft;stolen object;blow.Faire un ——,to commit a theft.Chose,adj.(familiar and popular),ill at ease;sad;embarrassed.Il prit un air ——,he looked sad or embarrassed.Je me sens tout ——,I feel ill at ease;queer.Chou!(thieves’ and cads’),a warning cry to intimate that the police or people are coming up. Termed also “Acresto!”Choucarde,f.(military),wheelbarrow.Chouchouter(familiar),to fondle, “to firkytoodle;”to spoil one. Fromchouchou,darling.Chou colossal,m.(familiar),a scheme for swindling the public by fabulous accounts of future profits.Choucroute,f.(popular),tête or mangeur de ——,a German.Choucrouter(popular),to eat sauerkraut;to speak German.Choucrouteur,choucroutmann,m.,German.Chouette,chouettard,chouettaud,adj.,good;fine;perfect, “chummy,” “real jam,” “true marmalade.”C’est rien ——,that’s first-class!Quel —— temps,what splendid weather!Un —— régiment,a crack regiment. (Disparagingly)Nous sommes ——,we are in a fine pickle.Chouette,f.andadj.(thieves’),être ——,to be caught.Faire une ——,to play at billiards against two other players.Chouettement(popular),finely;perfectly.Chouez(Breton),house;—— doue,church.Choufflic(popular),bad workman. In the Germanschuflick,cobbler.Chouffliquer(popular),to work in a clumsy manner.Chouffliqueur,m.(popular),bad workman; (military)shoemaker, “snob.”Choufretez(Breton),lucifer matches.Chouia(military),gently. From the Arabic.Chouil(Breton),work;insect.Chouila(Breton cant),to work;to beget many children.Chouista(Breton),to work with a will.Choumaque(popular),shoemaker. From the German.Chourin, forsurin(thieves’),knife, “chive.”Si j’ai pas l’rond, mon surin bouge.Moi, c’est dans le sang qu’ j’aurais truqué.Mais quand on fait suer, pomaqué!Mieux vaut bouffer du blanc qu’ du rouge.Richepin,Chanson des Gueux.Chouriner, forsuriner(thieves’),to knife, “to chive.”Chourineur,m., forsurineur(thieves’),one who uses the knife;knacker. “Le Chourineur” is one of the characters ofEugène Sue’sMystères de Paris.C’housa(Breton),to eat.C’housach(Breton),food.Chrétien,adj.(popular),mixed with water, “baptized.”Chrétien,m.(popular),viande de ——,human flesh.Chrysalide,f.(popular),old coquette.Chtibes,f. pl.(popular),boots, “hock-dockies.”Chybre,m.(popular), seeFlageolet; (artists’)member of theInstitut de France.Chyle,m.(familiar),se refaire le ——,to have a good meal, a “tightener.”Cibiche,f.(popular),cigarette.Cible,f.(popular),à coups de pieds,breech. SeeVasistas.Ciboule,f.(popular),head, or “block.” SeeTronche.Cidre élégant,m.(familiar),champagne, “fiz,” or “boy.”Ciel,m.(fishermens’),le —— plumant ses poules,clouds.Les nuages, c’était le ciel plumant ses poules,Et la foudre en éclats, Michel cassant ses œufs.Il appelait le vent du sud cornemuseux,Celui du nord cornard, de l’ouest brise à grenouille,Celui de suroit l’brouf, celui de terre andouille.Richepin,La Mer.Cierge,m.(thieves’),police officer, or “reeler.” For synonyms seePot-à-tabac.Cig,m.,cigale, orsigue,f.(thieves’),gold coin, or “yellow boy.”Cigale,f.(popular),female street singer. Properlygrasshopper; alsocigar.Cigogne,f.(thieves’),the “Préfecture de Police” in Paris;thePalais de Justice;court of justice.Le dab de la ——,the public prosecutor;the prefect of police.Je monte à la cigogne.On me gerbe à la grotte,Au tap, et pour douze ans.Vidocq.Cigue,f.(thieves’), abbreviation ofcigale,twenty-franc piece.Cimaise(painters’),faire sa —— sur quelqu’un,to show up one’s own good qualities, whether real or imaginary, at the expense of another’s failings, in other words,to preach for one’s own chapel.Ciment,m.(freemasons’),mustard.Cingler(thieves’),se —— le blair,to get drunk, or “canon.”Cinq-à-sept,m.,a kind of tea party from five o’clock to seven in the fashionable world.Cinq-centimadas,m.(ironical),one-sou cigar.Cintième,m.(popular),high cap generally worn by women’s bullies, or “pensioners.”Cintrer(popular),to hold; (thieves’)—— en pogne,to seize hold of;to apprehend, or “to smug.” SeePiper.Cipal,m.(popular), abbreviation ofgarde-municipal. The “garde municipale” is a picked body of old soldiers who furnish guards and perform police functions at theatres, official ceremonies, police courts,&c.It consists of infantry and cavalry, and is in the pay of the Paris municipal authorities, most of the men having been non-commissioned officers in the army.Cirage,m.(popular),praise, “soft sawder,” “butter.”Cire,f.,voleur à la ——,rogue who steals a silver fork or spoon at a restaurant, and makes it adhere under the table by means of a piece of soft wax. When charged with the theft, he puts on an air of injured innocence, and asks to be searched; then leaves with ample apologies from the master of the restaurant. Soon after a confederate enters, taking his friend’s former seat at the table, and pocketing the booty.Ciré,m.(popular),negro. Fromcirer,to black shoes. Termed also “boîte à cirage,bamboula,boule de neige,bille de pot au feu.”Cirer(popular),to praise;to flatter, “to butter.”Cireux,m.(popular),one with inflamed eyelids.Ciseaux,m. pl.(literary),travailler à coups de ——,to compile.Cité,f.(popular),d’amour,gay girl, “bed-fagot.”Je l’ai traitée comme elle le méritait. Je l’ai appelée feignante, cité d’amour, chenille, machine à plaisir.—Macé.Citron,m.(theatrical),squeaky note; (thieves’ and cads’)the head, “nut,” or “chump.” Termed also “tronche,sorbonne,poire,cafetière,trognon,citrouille.”Citrouille,f.,citrouillard,m.(military),dragoon; (thieves’)head, “nut,” or “tibby.”Civade,f.(thieves’),oats.Civard,m.(popular),pasture.Cive,f.(popular),grass.Clairs,m. pl.(thieves’),eyes, or “glaziers.” SeeMirettes.Souffler ses ——,to sleep, to “doss,” or to have a “dose of the balmy.”Clairté,f.(popular),light;beauty.Clampiner(popular),to idle about;to lounge about lazily, “to mike.”Clapoter(popular),to eat, “to grub.” SeeMastiquer.Claqué,m.andadj.(popular),dead,dead man.La boîte aux claqués,the Morgue, or Paris dead-house.Le jardin des claqués,the cemetery.Claquebosse,m.(popular),house of ill-fame, or “nanny-shop.”Claquedents,m.(popular),house of ill-fame, “nanny-shop;”gaming-house, or “punting-shop;”low eating-house.Claquefaim,m.(popular),starving man.Claquepatins,m.(popular),miserable slipshod person.
Je lui jaspine en bigorne,Qu’as-tu donc à morfiller?J’ai du chenu pivois sans lance,Et du larton savonné.Vidocq.
Je lui jaspine en bigorne,Qu’as-tu donc à morfiller?J’ai du chenu pivois sans lance,Et du larton savonné.Vidocq.
Je lui jaspine en bigorne,Qu’as-tu donc à morfiller?J’ai du chenu pivois sans lance,Et du larton savonné.Vidocq.
Je lui jaspine en bigorne,
Qu’as-tu donc à morfiller?
J’ai du chenu pivois sans lance,
Et du larton savonné.
Vidocq.
Chenument(popular),very well;very good.
Cher(thieves’),se cavaler ——,to decamp quickly,to“guy.” SeePatatrot.
Chérance,f.(thieves’),être en ——,to be intoxicated, or “canon.”
Cherche(popular),nothing, or “love.”Etre dix à ——,to be ten to love at billiards.
Chercher(popular),la gueulée,to be a parasite, a “quiller.” (Familiar and popular)Chercher des poux à la tête de quelqu’un,to find fault with one on futile pretexts;to try and fasten on a quarrel.
Chérez!(thieves’),courage!cheer up!never say die!Villon, 15th century, has “chère lye,”a joyous countenance.
Chetard,m.(thieves’),prison, or “stir.” SeeMotte.
Chétif,m.(popular),mason’s boy.
Cheulard,m.(popular),gormandizer, “grand-paunch.”
Cheval,m.(popular and thieves’),de retour,old offender;returned or escaped convict sent back to the convict settlement. Termed also “trique,canne.”
Me voilà donc cheval de retour, on me remet à Toulon, cette fois avec les bonnets verts.—V.Hugo.
(Military)Cheval de l’adjudant,camp bed of cell; (familiar)—— qui la connaît dans les coins,a clever horse. Literallyskilful at turning the corners. (Popular)Faire son —— de corbillard,to put on a jaunty look;to give oneself conceited airs;to bluster, or, as the Americans say, “to be on the tall grass.”
Chevalier,m.(popular),de la courte lance,hospital assistant;—— de la grippe,thief, or “prig.” SeeGrinche.Chevalier de la manchette,Sodomist;—— de la pédale,one who works a card-printing machine;—— de l’aune,shopman, or “knight of the yard;”—— de salon,de tapis vert,gamester;—— du bidet,women’s bully, or “pensioner.” SeePoisson.Chevalier du crochet,rag-picker, or “bone-grubber;”—— du lansquenet,gambling cheat who has recourse to the card-sharping trick denominated“le pont” (which see);—— du lustre, “claqueur,”that is, one who is paid for applauding at theatres;—— du printemps, orde l’ordre du printemps,silly fellow who flowers his button-hole to make it appear that he has the decoration of the “Légion d’Honneur;”—— grimpant, seeVoleur au bonjour.
Chevau-léger,m.(familiar),ultra-Conservative of the Legitimist and Clerical party. Thechevau-légerswere formerly a corps of household cavalry.
Chevaux,m. pl.(popular),à doubles semelles,legs. Compare the English expression, “to ride Shank’s mare, or pony.”
Chevelu,adj.(familiar),art ——,littérateur ——,poète ——,art, literary man, poet of the “école romantique,” of which the chief in literature wasVictor Hugo.
Cheveu,m.(familiar),difficulty;trouble;hindrance;hitch. Voilàle ——,ay, there’s the rub.J’ai un ——,I have some trouble on my mind, reason for uneasiness.Il y a un —— dans son bonheur,there is some trouble that mars his happiness. (Popular)Avoir un —— pour un homme,to fancy a man. (Theatrical)Cheveu,unintentional jumbling of words by transposition of syllables. This kind of mistake when intentionalRabelaistermed “équivoquer.”
En l’aultre deux ou trois miroirs ardents dont il faisait enrager aulcunes fois les hommes et les femmes et leur faisait perdre contenance à l’ecclise. Car il disait qu’il n’y avait qu’une antistrophe entre femme folle à la messe et femme molle à la fesse.—Rabelais,Pantagruel.
See alsoŒuvres de Rabelais(Garnier’s edition),Pantagruel, page 159.
Cheveux,m.(familiar and popular),avoir mal aux ——,to have a headache caused by overnight potations.Faire des —— gris à quelqu’un,to trouble one,to give anxiety to one.Se faire des —— blancs,to fret;to feel annoyed at being made to wait a long time.Trouver des —— à tout,to find fault with everything. (Military)Passer la main dans les ——,to cut one’s hair.
Chevillard,m.(popular),butcher in a small way.
Chevilles,f.(popular),fried potatoes. Termed “greasers” at theR. M.Academy.
Chévinette,f.(popular),darling.
Chèvre,f.(popular),gober sa ——,to get angry,to bristle up, “to lose one’s shirt,” “to get one’s monkey up.”
Chevron,m.(thieves’),fresh offence against the law. Properlymilitary stripe.
Chevronné,m.(thieves’),old offender,an old“jail-bird.”
Chevrotin,adj.(popular),irritable, “cranky,” “touchy.”
Chiade,f.(schoolboys’),hustling,pushing.
Chialler(thieves’),to squall;to weep.
Bon, tu chial’! ah! c’est pas palas.—Richepin.
Chiarder(schoolboys’),to work, “to sweat.”
Chiasse,f.(popular),avoir la ——,to suffer from diarrhœa, or “jerry-go-nimble.”
Chibis,m.(thieves’),faire ——,to escape from prison;to decamp, “to guy.” SeePatatrot.
J’ai fait chibis. J’avais la frousseDes préfectanciers de Pantin.A Pantin, mince de potin!On y connaît ma gargarousse.Richepin,Chanson des Gueux.
J’ai fait chibis. J’avais la frousseDes préfectanciers de Pantin.A Pantin, mince de potin!On y connaît ma gargarousse.Richepin,Chanson des Gueux.
J’ai fait chibis. J’avais la frousseDes préfectanciers de Pantin.A Pantin, mince de potin!On y connaît ma gargarousse.Richepin,Chanson des Gueux.
J’ai fait chibis. J’avais la frousse
Des préfectanciers de Pantin.
A Pantin, mince de potin!
On y connaît ma gargarousse.
Richepin,Chanson des Gueux.
Chic,m.(English slang), “tzing tzing,” or “slap up.” The word has almost ceased to be slang, but we thought it would not be out of place in a work of this kind. (Familiar)Chic,finish;elegance;dash;spirit.Une femme qui a du ——,une robe qui a du ——,a stylish woman or dress.Cet acteur joue avec ——,this actor plays in a spirited manner.Ça manque de ——,it wants dash, is commonplace.Pourri de ——,most elegant, “nobby.”Chic,knack;originality;manner.Il a le ——,he has the knack.Il a un —— tout particulier,he has a manner quite his own.Il a le —— militaire,he has a soldier-like appearance.Peindre de ——,faire de ——,écrire de ——,to paint or write with imaginative power, but without much regard for accuracy.
Vous croyez peut-être que j’invente, que je brode d’imagination et que je fais de chic cette seconde vie.—Richepin.
Chic,chique,adj.,excellent, “fizzing;”dashing,stylish.Un pékin ——,well-dressed, rich man.Un homme ——,a man of fashion,a well-dressed one,a well-to-do man.Un —— homme,a good, excellent man.
Chican,m.(thieves’),hammer.
Chicandard.SeeChicard.
Chicander(popular),to dance the “Chicard step.”SeeChicard.
Chicane,f.(thieves’),grinchir à la ——,stealing the purse or watch of a person while standing in front of him, but with the back turned towards him—a feat which requires no ordinary dexterity.
Chicard,m.(popular),buffoon character of the carnival, in fashion from 1830 to 1850. The first who impersonated it was a leather-seller, who invented a new eccentric step, considered to be exceedingly “chic;” hence probably his nickname of Chicard. His “get-up” consisted of a helmet with high plume, jackboots, a flannel frock, and large cavalry gloves.Pas ——,step invented byM.Chicard.
Chicard,chicancardo,chicandard,adj.,superlative of“chic,” “tip-top,” “out and out,” “slap up,” “tzing tzing.”
Chicarder,to dance the Chicard step. SeeChicard.
Chic et contre,warning which mountebanks address to one another.
Chiche!(popular),an exclamation expressive of defiance.
Chickstrac,m.(military),refuse,dung,excrement.Corvée de ——,fatigue duty for sweeping away the refuse, and especially for emptying cesspools.
Chicmann,m.(popular),tailor. A great many tailors in Paris bear Germanic names; hence the termination of the word.
Chicorée,f.(popular),c’est fort de ——,it is really too bad!Ficher de la ——,to reprimand, “to give a wigging.”Faire sa ——,is said of a person with affected or“high-falutin”airs.Ne fais donc pas ta ——,don’t give yourself such airs, “come off the tall grass,” as the Americans have it.
Chié,adj.(popular),tout ——, “as like as two peas.”
Chie-dans-l’eau,m.(military),sailor.
Chien,m.andadj.(popular),noyé,sugar soaked in coffee. (Journalists’)Un —— perdu,short newspaper paragraph. (Schoolboys’)Un —— de cour,school usher, or “bum brusher.” (Military)Un —— de compagnie,a sergeant major.Un —— de régiment,adjutant. (Familiar and popular)Le —— du commissaire,police magistrate’s secretary. The commissaire is a police functionary and petty magistrate. He examines privately cases brought before him, sends prisoners for trial, or dismisses them at once, settles then and there disputes between coachmen and their fares, sometimes between husbands and wives, makes perquisitions. He possesses to a certain extent discretionary powers.Avoir du ——,to possess dash, go, “gameness.”Il faut avoir du —— dans le ventre pour résister,one must have wonderful staying powers to resist.Avoir un —— pour un homme,to be infatuated with a man.Faire le ——,is said of a servant who follows with a basket in the wake of her mistress going to market.Rester en —— de faience,to remain immovable, like a block.Se regarder en —— de faience,to look at one another without uttering a word.Piquer un ——,to take a nap.Dormir en —— de fusil,to sleep with the body doubled up.Une coiffure à la ——,mode of wearing the hair loose on the forehead. (Military)Un officier ——,a martinet.
Chiendent,m.,arracher le ——. SeeArracher.
Chier(popular),coarse word;—— dans la vanette,to be too free and easy;—— de petites crottes,to earn little money;to live in poverty;—— des carottes,to be costive;—— des chasses,to weep, “to nap a bib;”—— du poivre,to fail in keeping one’s promise;to abscond;to vanish when one’s services or help are most needed;—— sur l’œil,to laugh at one;—— sur,to show great contempt for;to abandon.Ne pas —— de grosses crottes,to have had a bad dinner, or no dinner at all.Vous me faites ——,you bore me.Un gueuleton à —— partout,a grand feast.Une mine à —— dessus,a repulsive countenance. (Printers’)Chier dans le cassetin aux apostrophes,to cease to be a printer.
Chieur,m.(popular),d’encre,clerk, or “quill-driver.”
Chiffarde,f.(thieves’),summons;pipe.
Chiffe,f.(popular),rag-picking;tongue, “red rag.”
Chifferlinde,f.(popular),boire une ——,to drink a dram of spirits.
Chifferton,m.(popular),rag-picker, “bone-grubber,” or “tot-picker.”
Chiffon,m.(popular),handkerchief, “snottinger;”—— rouge,tongue, “red rag.”Balancer le —— rouge,to talk, “to wag the red rag.”
Chiffonnage,m.(popular),plunder of a rag-picker.
Chiffonnier,m.(thieves’),pickpocket who devotes his attention to handkerchiefs, “stook-hauler;”man of disorderly habits. (Literary).Chiffonnier de la double colline,bad poet.
Chiffornion,m.(popular),silk handkerchief, or silk“wipe.”
Chiffortin,m.(popular),rag-picker, “bone-grubber,” or “tot-picker.”
Chignard,m.(popular),inveterate grumbler, “rusty guts.”
Chigner(popular),to weep, “to nap a bib.”
Chimique,f.(popular),lucifer match.
Chinage.SeeChine.Vol au ——,selling plated trinkets for the genuine article.
Chincilla(popular),grey, or “pepper and salt”hair.
Chine.Aller à la ——,to ply the trade ofchineur(which see).
Chiner(military),to slander one;to ridicule one; (popular)to work;to go in quest of good bargains;to buy furniture at sales and resell it;to follow the pursuit of an old clothes man;to hawk;to go about the country buying heads of hair from peasant girls.
Chineur, ormargoulin,m.(thieves’),one who goes about the country buying heads of hair of peasant girls. (Military)Chineur,slanderer; (popular)rabbit-skin man;marine store dealer;worker;hawker of cheap stuffs or silk handkerchiefs.
En argot, chineur signifie travailleur, et vient du verbe chiner.... Mais ce mot se spécialise pour désigner particulièrement une race de travailleurssui generis....
Elle campe en deux tribus à Paris. L’une habite le pâté de maisons qui se hérisse entre la place Maubert et le petit bras de la Seine, et notamment rue des Anglais. L’autre niche en haut de Ménilmontant, et a donné autrefois son nom à la rue de la Chine....
Les chineurs sont, d’ailleurs, des colons et non des Parisiens de naissance. Chaque génération vient ici chercher fortune, et s’en retourne ensuite au pays.—Richepin,Le Pavé.
Chinois,m.(popular),an individual, a “bloke,” a “cove;”proprietor of coffee-house; (familiar)term of friendship; (military)term of contempt applied to civilians, hence probably the expression “pékin,”civilian.
Chinoiserie,f.(familiar),quaint joke;intricate and quaint procedure or contrivance.
Chipe,f.(popular),prigging. Fromchiper,to purloin.
Chipette,f.(popular),trifle;nothing;Lesbian woman, that is, one with unnatural passions.
Chipie,f.(familiar). Literallygirl or woman with a testy temper, a “brim.”Faire sa ——,to put on an air of supreme disdain or disgust.
Chipoteuse,f.(popular),capricious woman.
Chiquandar. SeeChicard.
Chique. SeeChic.
Chique,f.Properlyquid of tobacco. (Popular)Avoir sa ——,to be in a bad humour, “to be crusty,” or “cranky.”Avoir une ——,to be drunk, or “screwed.” SeePompette.Ça te coupe la ——,that’s disappointing for you, that“cuts you up.”Coller sa ——,to bend one’s head.Couper la —— à quinze pas,to stink.Poser sa ——,to die;to be still.Pose ta —— et fais le mort!be still!shut up!hold your row!(Thieves’)Chique,church.
Chiqué(artists’),smartly executed. Alsosaid of artistic work done quickly without previously studying nature. (Popular)Bien ——,well dressed.
Chiquement,withchic(which see).
Chiquer(familiar),to do anything in a superior manner;to do artistic work with more brilliancy than accuracy; (popular)to thrash, “to wallop,” seeVoie;to eat, “to grub,” seeMastiquer.Se ——,to fight, “to drop into one another.”
Chiquer contreorbattre à niort(thieves’),to deny one’s guilt.
Chiqueur,m.(popular),glutton, “stodger;” (artists’)an artist who paints with smartness, or one who draws or paints without studying nature.
Chirurgien,m.(popular),en vieux,cobbler.
Chnic.SeeChenique.
Chocaillon,m.(popular),female rag-picker;female drunkard, or “lushington.”
Chocnoso,chocnosof,chocnosogue,koscnoff,excellent,remarkable,brilliant, “crushing,” “nobby,” “tip-top,” “fizzing.”
Chocotte,f.(rag-pickers’),marrow bone; (thieves’)tooth.
Choléra,m.(popular),zinc or zinc-worker;bad meat.
Cholet,m.(popular),white bread of superior quality.
Cholette,f.(thieves’),half a litre.Double ——,a litre.
Choper(popular),to steal, “to prig.” SeeGrinchir. Old word choper,to touch anything,to make it fall.Se laisser ——,to allow oneself to be caught,to be“nabbed.”
Chopin,m.(thieves’),theft;stolen object;blow.Faire un ——,to commit a theft.
Chose,adj.(familiar and popular),ill at ease;sad;embarrassed.Il prit un air ——,he looked sad or embarrassed.Je me sens tout ——,I feel ill at ease;queer.
Chou!(thieves’ and cads’),a warning cry to intimate that the police or people are coming up. Termed also “Acresto!”
Choucarde,f.(military),wheelbarrow.
Chouchouter(familiar),to fondle, “to firkytoodle;”to spoil one. Fromchouchou,darling.
Chou colossal,m.(familiar),a scheme for swindling the public by fabulous accounts of future profits.
Choucroute,f.(popular),tête or mangeur de ——,a German.
Choucrouter(popular),to eat sauerkraut;to speak German.
Choucrouteur,choucroutmann,m.,German.
Chouette,chouettard,chouettaud,adj.,good;fine;perfect, “chummy,” “real jam,” “true marmalade.”C’est rien ——,that’s first-class!Quel —— temps,what splendid weather!Un —— régiment,a crack regiment. (Disparagingly)Nous sommes ——,we are in a fine pickle.
Chouette,f.andadj.(thieves’),être ——,to be caught.Faire une ——,to play at billiards against two other players.
Chouettement(popular),finely;perfectly.
Chouez(Breton),house;—— doue,church.
Choufflic(popular),bad workman. In the Germanschuflick,cobbler.
Chouffliquer(popular),to work in a clumsy manner.
Chouffliqueur,m.(popular),bad workman; (military)shoemaker, “snob.”
Choufretez(Breton),lucifer matches.
Chouia(military),gently. From the Arabic.
Chouil(Breton),work;insect.
Chouila(Breton cant),to work;to beget many children.
Chouista(Breton),to work with a will.
Choumaque(popular),shoemaker. From the German.
Chourin, forsurin(thieves’),knife, “chive.”
Si j’ai pas l’rond, mon surin bouge.Moi, c’est dans le sang qu’ j’aurais truqué.Mais quand on fait suer, pomaqué!Mieux vaut bouffer du blanc qu’ du rouge.Richepin,Chanson des Gueux.
Si j’ai pas l’rond, mon surin bouge.Moi, c’est dans le sang qu’ j’aurais truqué.Mais quand on fait suer, pomaqué!Mieux vaut bouffer du blanc qu’ du rouge.Richepin,Chanson des Gueux.
Si j’ai pas l’rond, mon surin bouge.Moi, c’est dans le sang qu’ j’aurais truqué.Mais quand on fait suer, pomaqué!Mieux vaut bouffer du blanc qu’ du rouge.Richepin,Chanson des Gueux.
Si j’ai pas l’rond, mon surin bouge.
Moi, c’est dans le sang qu’ j’aurais truqué.
Mais quand on fait suer, pomaqué!
Mieux vaut bouffer du blanc qu’ du rouge.
Richepin,Chanson des Gueux.
Chouriner, forsuriner(thieves’),to knife, “to chive.”
Chourineur,m., forsurineur(thieves’),one who uses the knife;knacker. “Le Chourineur” is one of the characters ofEugène Sue’sMystères de Paris.
C’housa(Breton),to eat.
C’housach(Breton),food.
Chrétien,adj.(popular),mixed with water, “baptized.”
Chrétien,m.(popular),viande de ——,human flesh.
Chrysalide,f.(popular),old coquette.
Chtibes,f. pl.(popular),boots, “hock-dockies.”
Chybre,m.(popular), seeFlageolet; (artists’)member of theInstitut de France.
Chyle,m.(familiar),se refaire le ——,to have a good meal, a “tightener.”
Cibiche,f.(popular),cigarette.
Cible,f.(popular),à coups de pieds,breech. SeeVasistas.
Ciboule,f.(popular),head, or “block.” SeeTronche.
Cidre élégant,m.(familiar),champagne, “fiz,” or “boy.”
Ciel,m.(fishermens’),le —— plumant ses poules,clouds.
Les nuages, c’était le ciel plumant ses poules,Et la foudre en éclats, Michel cassant ses œufs.Il appelait le vent du sud cornemuseux,Celui du nord cornard, de l’ouest brise à grenouille,Celui de suroit l’brouf, celui de terre andouille.Richepin,La Mer.
Les nuages, c’était le ciel plumant ses poules,Et la foudre en éclats, Michel cassant ses œufs.Il appelait le vent du sud cornemuseux,Celui du nord cornard, de l’ouest brise à grenouille,Celui de suroit l’brouf, celui de terre andouille.Richepin,La Mer.
Les nuages, c’était le ciel plumant ses poules,Et la foudre en éclats, Michel cassant ses œufs.Il appelait le vent du sud cornemuseux,Celui du nord cornard, de l’ouest brise à grenouille,Celui de suroit l’brouf, celui de terre andouille.Richepin,La Mer.
Les nuages, c’était le ciel plumant ses poules,
Et la foudre en éclats, Michel cassant ses œufs.
Il appelait le vent du sud cornemuseux,
Celui du nord cornard, de l’ouest brise à grenouille,
Celui de suroit l’brouf, celui de terre andouille.
Richepin,La Mer.
Cierge,m.(thieves’),police officer, or “reeler.” For synonyms seePot-à-tabac.
Cig,m.,cigale, orsigue,f.(thieves’),gold coin, or “yellow boy.”
Cigale,f.(popular),female street singer. Properlygrasshopper; alsocigar.
Cigogne,f.(thieves’),the “Préfecture de Police” in Paris;thePalais de Justice;court of justice.Le dab de la ——,the public prosecutor;the prefect of police.
Je monte à la cigogne.On me gerbe à la grotte,Au tap, et pour douze ans.Vidocq.
Je monte à la cigogne.On me gerbe à la grotte,Au tap, et pour douze ans.Vidocq.
Je monte à la cigogne.On me gerbe à la grotte,Au tap, et pour douze ans.Vidocq.
Je monte à la cigogne.
On me gerbe à la grotte,
Au tap, et pour douze ans.
Vidocq.
Cigue,f.(thieves’), abbreviation ofcigale,twenty-franc piece.
Cimaise(painters’),faire sa —— sur quelqu’un,to show up one’s own good qualities, whether real or imaginary, at the expense of another’s failings, in other words,to preach for one’s own chapel.
Ciment,m.(freemasons’),mustard.
Cingler(thieves’),se —— le blair,to get drunk, or “canon.”
Cinq-à-sept,m.,a kind of tea party from five o’clock to seven in the fashionable world.
Cinq-centimadas,m.(ironical),one-sou cigar.
Cintième,m.(popular),high cap generally worn by women’s bullies, or “pensioners.”
Cintrer(popular),to hold; (thieves’)—— en pogne,to seize hold of;to apprehend, or “to smug.” SeePiper.
Cipal,m.(popular), abbreviation ofgarde-municipal. The “garde municipale” is a picked body of old soldiers who furnish guards and perform police functions at theatres, official ceremonies, police courts,&c.It consists of infantry and cavalry, and is in the pay of the Paris municipal authorities, most of the men having been non-commissioned officers in the army.
Cirage,m.(popular),praise, “soft sawder,” “butter.”
Cire,f.,voleur à la ——,rogue who steals a silver fork or spoon at a restaurant, and makes it adhere under the table by means of a piece of soft wax. When charged with the theft, he puts on an air of injured innocence, and asks to be searched; then leaves with ample apologies from the master of the restaurant. Soon after a confederate enters, taking his friend’s former seat at the table, and pocketing the booty.
Ciré,m.(popular),negro. Fromcirer,to black shoes. Termed also “boîte à cirage,bamboula,boule de neige,bille de pot au feu.”
Cirer(popular),to praise;to flatter, “to butter.”
Cireux,m.(popular),one with inflamed eyelids.
Ciseaux,m. pl.(literary),travailler à coups de ——,to compile.
Cité,f.(popular),d’amour,gay girl, “bed-fagot.”
Je l’ai traitée comme elle le méritait. Je l’ai appelée feignante, cité d’amour, chenille, machine à plaisir.—Macé.
Citron,m.(theatrical),squeaky note; (thieves’ and cads’)the head, “nut,” or “chump.” Termed also “tronche,sorbonne,poire,cafetière,trognon,citrouille.”
Citrouille,f.,citrouillard,m.(military),dragoon; (thieves’)head, “nut,” or “tibby.”
Civade,f.(thieves’),oats.
Civard,m.(popular),pasture.
Cive,f.(popular),grass.
Clairs,m. pl.(thieves’),eyes, or “glaziers.” SeeMirettes.Souffler ses ——,to sleep, to “doss,” or to have a “dose of the balmy.”
Clairté,f.(popular),light;beauty.
Clampiner(popular),to idle about;to lounge about lazily, “to mike.”
Clapoter(popular),to eat, “to grub.” SeeMastiquer.
Claqué,m.andadj.(popular),dead,dead man.La boîte aux claqués,the Morgue, or Paris dead-house.Le jardin des claqués,the cemetery.
Claquebosse,m.(popular),house of ill-fame, or “nanny-shop.”
Claquedents,m.(popular),house of ill-fame, “nanny-shop;”gaming-house, or “punting-shop;”low eating-house.
Claquefaim,m.(popular),starving man.
Claquepatins,m.(popular),miserable slipshod person.