Quand douze plombes crossent,Les pègres s’en retournent,Au tapis de Montron.Vidocq.Crosseur,m.(thieves’),bell-ringer.Crossin. SeeCrosse.Crotal,m.,student of theEcole Polytechniqueholding the rank of sergeant.Crottard,m.(popular),foot pavement.Crotte d’Ermite,f.(thieves’),baked pear.Crottin,m.(military),sergent de ——,non-commissioned officer at the cavalry school ofSaumur. Thus termed because he is often in the stables.Croumier(horse-dealers’),broker or agent of questionable honesty, or one who is“wanted”by the police.Croupionner(popular),to twist one’s loins about so as to cause one’s dress to bulge out.Croupir(popular),dans le battantis said of undigested food, which inconveniences one.Croustille,f.(popular),casser un brin de ——,to have a snack.Croustiller(popular),to eat, “to grub.” SeeMastiquer.Croûte,f.(popular),s’embêter comme une —— de pain derrière une malle,to feel desperately dull.Croûteum,m.(familiar),collection of“croûtes,”or worthless pictures.Croûton,m.(artists’),painter devoid of any talent.Croûtonner(artists’),to paint worthless pictures, daubs.Croyez(popular),ça et buvez de l’eau,expression used to deride credulous people. Literallybelieve that and drink water.Cru(artists’),faire ——, seeFaire.Crucifier(familiar),to grant one the decoration of the Legion of Honour. The expression is meant to be jocular.Crucifix, orcrucifix à ressort,m.(thieves’),pistol, “barking iron.”Cube,m.,student of the third year in higher mathematics(mathématiques spéciales); (familiar)a regular idiot.Cucurbitacé,m.(familiar),a dunce.Cueillir(popular),le persilis said of a prostitute walking the streets.Cuiller,f.(popular),hand, or “daddle.”Cuir,m.(popular),de brouette,wood.Escarpin en —— de brouette,wooden shoe.Gants en —— de poule,ladies’ gloves made of fine skin.Tanner le ——,to thrash, “to tan one’s hide.”Cuirassé,m.(popular),urinals.Cuirasser(popular),to make“cuirs,” that is, in conversation carrying on the wrong letter, or one which does not form part of a word, to the next word, as, for instance,Donnez moi z’en, je vais t’y m’amuser.Cuirassier,m.(popular),one who frequently indulges in“cuirs.” SeeCuirasser.Cuire(popular),se faire ——,to be arrested.SeePiper.Cuisine,f.(thieves’),thePréfecture de Police; (literary)—— de journal,all that concerns the details and routine arrangement of the matter for a newspaper. (Popular)Faire sa —— à l’alcool,to indulge often in brandy drinking.Cuisiner(literary),to do, to concoct some inferior literary or artistic work.Cuisinier,m.(thieves’),spy, or “nark;”detective;barrister; (literary)newspaper secretary.Cuisse,f.(familiar),avoir la —— gaieis said of a woman who is too fond of men.Cuit,adj.(thieves’),sentenced, condemned, or “booked;”done for.Cuite,f.(popular),intoxication.Se flanquer une ——,to get drunk, or “screwed.”Cul,m.(popular),stupid fellow, or “duffer;”—— d’âne,blockhead;—— de plomb,slow man, or “bummer;”clerk, or “quill-driver;”woman who awaits clients at a café;—— goudronné,sailor, or “tar;”—— levé,game ofécartéat which two players are in league to swindle the third;—— rouge,soldier with red pants, or “cherry bum;”—— terreux,peasant, clodhopper.Montrer son ——,to become a bankrupt, or “brosier.”Culasses,f. pl.(military),revue des —— mobiles,monthly medical inspection.Culasse, properlythe breech of a gun.Culbutant,m., orculbute,f.(thieves’),breeches, or “hams.” Termed also“fusil à deux coups, grimpants.”Esbigner le chopin dans sa culbute,to conceal stolen property in one’s breeches.Culbute,f.(thieves’),breeches. (Popular)La ——,the circus.Culerée,f.(printers’),composing stick which is filled up.Culotte,m.(popular and familiar),money losses at cards;excess in anything, especially in drink.Grosse ——,regular drunkard.Donner dans la —— rougeis said of a woman who is too fond of soldiers’ attentions, of one who has an attack of“scarlet fever.”Se flanquer une ——,to sustain a loss at a game of cards;to get intoxicated. (Students’)Empoigner une ——,to lose at a game, and to have in consequence to stand all round. (Artists’)Faire ——,exaggeration ofFaire chaud(which see).Culotté,adj.(popular),hardened;soiled;seedy;red,&c.Etre ——,to have a seedy appearance.Un nez ——,a red nose.Culotter(popular),se ——,to get tipsy;to have a worn-out, seedy appearance.Se —— de la tête aux pieds,to get completely tipsy.Cumulard,m.(familiar),official who holds several posts at the same time.Cupidon,m.(thieves’),rag-picker, or “bone-grubber.” An ironical allusion to his hook and basket.Cure-dents(familiar),venir en ——,to come to an evening party without having been invited to the dinner that precedes it. Termed also “venir en pastilles de Vichy.”Curette,f.(military),cavalry sword.Manier la ——,to do sword exercise.Curieux,m.(thieves’),magistrate, “beak,” or “queer cuffin.” Alsojuge d’instruction, a magistrate who investigates cases before they are sent up for trial.Grand ——,chief judge of the assize court.Cyclope,m.(popular),behind, or “blind cheek.”Cylindre,m.(popular),top hat, or “stove-pipe;” seeTubard;body, or “apple cart.”Tu t’en ferais péter le ——,is expressive of ironical refusal; “don’t you wish you may get it.”Cymbale,f.(thieves’),moon, or “parish lantern;” (popular)escutcheon placed over the door of the house of a notary.
Quand douze plombes crossent,Les pègres s’en retournent,Au tapis de Montron.Vidocq.
Quand douze plombes crossent,Les pègres s’en retournent,Au tapis de Montron.Vidocq.
Quand douze plombes crossent,Les pègres s’en retournent,Au tapis de Montron.Vidocq.
Quand douze plombes crossent,
Les pègres s’en retournent,
Au tapis de Montron.
Vidocq.
Crosseur,m.(thieves’),bell-ringer.
Crossin. SeeCrosse.
Crotal,m.,student of theEcole Polytechniqueholding the rank of sergeant.
Crottard,m.(popular),foot pavement.
Crotte d’Ermite,f.(thieves’),baked pear.
Crottin,m.(military),sergent de ——,non-commissioned officer at the cavalry school ofSaumur. Thus termed because he is often in the stables.
Croumier(horse-dealers’),broker or agent of questionable honesty, or one who is“wanted”by the police.
Croupionner(popular),to twist one’s loins about so as to cause one’s dress to bulge out.
Croupir(popular),dans le battantis said of undigested food, which inconveniences one.
Croustille,f.(popular),casser un brin de ——,to have a snack.
Croustiller(popular),to eat, “to grub.” SeeMastiquer.
Croûte,f.(popular),s’embêter comme une —— de pain derrière une malle,to feel desperately dull.
Croûteum,m.(familiar),collection of“croûtes,”or worthless pictures.
Croûton,m.(artists’),painter devoid of any talent.
Croûtonner(artists’),to paint worthless pictures, daubs.
Croyez(popular),ça et buvez de l’eau,expression used to deride credulous people. Literallybelieve that and drink water.
Cru(artists’),faire ——, seeFaire.
Crucifier(familiar),to grant one the decoration of the Legion of Honour. The expression is meant to be jocular.
Crucifix, orcrucifix à ressort,m.(thieves’),pistol, “barking iron.”
Cube,m.,student of the third year in higher mathematics(mathématiques spéciales); (familiar)a regular idiot.
Cucurbitacé,m.(familiar),a dunce.
Cueillir(popular),le persilis said of a prostitute walking the streets.
Cuiller,f.(popular),hand, or “daddle.”
Cuir,m.(popular),de brouette,wood.Escarpin en —— de brouette,wooden shoe.Gants en —— de poule,ladies’ gloves made of fine skin.Tanner le ——,to thrash, “to tan one’s hide.”
Cuirassé,m.(popular),urinals.
Cuirasser(popular),to make“cuirs,” that is, in conversation carrying on the wrong letter, or one which does not form part of a word, to the next word, as, for instance,Donnez moi z’en, je vais t’y m’amuser.
Cuirassier,m.(popular),one who frequently indulges in“cuirs.” SeeCuirasser.
Cuire(popular),se faire ——,to be arrested.SeePiper.
Cuisine,f.(thieves’),thePréfecture de Police; (literary)—— de journal,all that concerns the details and routine arrangement of the matter for a newspaper. (Popular)Faire sa —— à l’alcool,to indulge often in brandy drinking.
Cuisiner(literary),to do, to concoct some inferior literary or artistic work.
Cuisinier,m.(thieves’),spy, or “nark;”detective;barrister; (literary)newspaper secretary.
Cuisse,f.(familiar),avoir la —— gaieis said of a woman who is too fond of men.
Cuit,adj.(thieves’),sentenced, condemned, or “booked;”done for.
Cuite,f.(popular),intoxication.Se flanquer une ——,to get drunk, or “screwed.”
Cul,m.(popular),stupid fellow, or “duffer;”—— d’âne,blockhead;—— de plomb,slow man, or “bummer;”clerk, or “quill-driver;”woman who awaits clients at a café;—— goudronné,sailor, or “tar;”—— levé,game ofécartéat which two players are in league to swindle the third;—— rouge,soldier with red pants, or “cherry bum;”—— terreux,peasant, clodhopper.Montrer son ——,to become a bankrupt, or “brosier.”
Culasses,f. pl.(military),revue des —— mobiles,monthly medical inspection.Culasse, properlythe breech of a gun.
Culbutant,m., orculbute,f.(thieves’),breeches, or “hams.” Termed also“fusil à deux coups, grimpants.”Esbigner le chopin dans sa culbute,to conceal stolen property in one’s breeches.
Culbute,f.(thieves’),breeches. (Popular)La ——,the circus.
Culerée,f.(printers’),composing stick which is filled up.
Culotte,m.(popular and familiar),money losses at cards;excess in anything, especially in drink.Grosse ——,regular drunkard.Donner dans la —— rougeis said of a woman who is too fond of soldiers’ attentions, of one who has an attack of“scarlet fever.”Se flanquer une ——,to sustain a loss at a game of cards;to get intoxicated. (Students’)Empoigner une ——,to lose at a game, and to have in consequence to stand all round. (Artists’)Faire ——,exaggeration ofFaire chaud(which see).
Culotté,adj.(popular),hardened;soiled;seedy;red,&c.Etre ——,to have a seedy appearance.Un nez ——,a red nose.
Culotter(popular),se ——,to get tipsy;to have a worn-out, seedy appearance.Se —— de la tête aux pieds,to get completely tipsy.
Cumulard,m.(familiar),official who holds several posts at the same time.
Cupidon,m.(thieves’),rag-picker, or “bone-grubber.” An ironical allusion to his hook and basket.
Cure-dents(familiar),venir en ——,to come to an evening party without having been invited to the dinner that precedes it. Termed also “venir en pastilles de Vichy.”
Curette,f.(military),cavalry sword.Manier la ——,to do sword exercise.
Curieux,m.(thieves’),magistrate, “beak,” or “queer cuffin.” Alsojuge d’instruction, a magistrate who investigates cases before they are sent up for trial.Grand ——,chief judge of the assize court.
Cyclope,m.(popular),behind, or “blind cheek.”
Cylindre,m.(popular),top hat, or “stove-pipe;” seeTubard;body, or “apple cart.”Tu t’en ferais péter le ——,is expressive of ironical refusal; “don’t you wish you may get it.”
Cymbale,f.(thieves’),moon, or “parish lantern;” (popular)escutcheon placed over the door of the house of a notary.