RRabat,m.(popular and thieves’),cloak, “ryder, or topper.”Rabateux de sorgue,m.(old cant),night thief. Termed also “doubleur de sorgue.”Michelsays:“On donnait le nom de ‘rabats’ aux lutins et c’est ainsi que le chartreux Jacques de Clusa, ou Junterburck, qui a écrit un traité des Apparitions des âmes après la mort et de leurs retraites, remarque qu’ils sont appelés. Rabelais, qui écrivait postérieurement au crédule chartreux, place dans la bibliothèque de Saint-Victorla Mommerye des rabats et luitins. De rabat est venu rabater, lutiner, que Nicot, Pontus de Tyard et Trippault dérivent deραβáττειν, dont les Grecs se sont servis pour dire se promener haut et bas, frapper, et faire du bruit.... En somme, il n’est pas douteux que ‘rabateux’ ne vienne de ‘rabater,’ et ne signifie étymologiquement rôdeur de nuit.”Rabatteur de pantes,m.(thieves’),detective, “cop.” Termed also “baladin.” Literallya beater, man being the quarry.Rabatteuse,f.(popular),procuress;small omnibus which plies between Paris and the outlying districts.Rabattre(thieves’),to return.C’est égal, t’as beau en coquer, tu rabattras au pré.—Vidocq. (Never mind, in spite of all your informing, you will one day return to the hulks.)Rabiage,m.(thieves’),income;profits.Rabiau,rabio, orrabiot,m.(military),what remains of provisions or drink after all have had their share;profits on victuals or forage. The word has the general signification ofremainder,over-plus.—C’que c’est que c’ paquet-là?—Mon colonel, c’est ... du sel.—Du sel ... tant qu’ ça de sel! c’que vous f... d’tant qu’ ça d’sel?—Mon colonel, c’est que ... c’est un peu de rabio.—Rabio! c’ment ça, rabio? Pour lors vous avez volé tout c’sel-là aux hommes! S’crongnieugnieu!... allons f... moi tout ça dans la soupe!—Ch.Leroy,Guibollard et Ramollot.Rabiot,convalescent soldier;what remains of a term of service;term of service in thecompagnies de discipline, or punishment companies, termed“biribi.”Il acheva la journée dans des transesindicibles, poursuivi de l’atroce pensée qu’il allait faire du rabiot, se voyant déjà à Biribi, en train de casser des cailloux sur les routes.—G.Courteline.Rabiauter, orrabioter(military),to eat or drink what others have left.Rabibochage,m.(familiar and popular),reconciliation.Rabibocher(familiar),to effect a reconciliation between people who have quarrelled.Se ——,to forget one’s differences,to become friends again.Les moindres bisbilles maintenant, finissaient par des attrapages, où l’on se jetait la débine de la maison à la tête; et c’était le diable pour se rabibocher, avant d’aller pioncer chacun dans son dodo.—Zola,L’Assommoir.Rabiot.SeeRabiau.Rabioter.SeeRabiauter.Raboin,m.(thieves’),devil, “ruffin, black spy, darble, old hairy.”En v’là un de bigoteur qui a le taffetas d’aller en glier où le Raboin le retournera pour le faire riffauder.—Vidocq.Michelsays: “Ce mot doit venir de l’espagnol ‘rabo,’ queue, le raboin est donc le personnage à la queue. Je ne serais pas étonné que le nom de rabbin, par lequel on désigne encore les docteurs juifs, ne fût l’origine de la croyance qui régnait parmi le peuple, au moyen âge, que les Israélites naissaient avec une queue.” Termed also “rabouin.”Il lansquine à éteindre le riffe du rabouin.—Victor Hugo.Compare the word with the Italian cant “rabuino,” which has a like signification.Raboter(popular),l’andosse,to thrash one, “to dust one’s jacket.”Se —— le sifflet,to drink a glass of strong brandy. A metaphor which recalls the action of a plane on a piece of wood.Raboteux.SeeRabateux.Rabouillère,f.(familiar),wretched looking house, a “hole.”Rabouler(popular and thieves’),to return. American thieves term this, “to hare it; “—— à la cassine,to return home, “to speel to the crib.”Raccord,m.(theatrical),partial rehearsal of a play.Raccourcir(familiar and popular),to guillotine. The expression dates from 1793. We find the following synonyms inLe Père Duchêneof ’93, edited byHébert: “cracher dans le sac,” an allusion to the head falling into the basket and the blood spouting up; “mettre la tête à la fenêtre,” shows the condemned one passing his head through the aperture; “jouer à la main-chaude,” which alludes to his hands tied behind his back,la main-chaudebeing literallyhot cockles; “passer sous le rasoir national,” which needs no explanation. After ’93 LouisXVI. was called “Louis le raccourci.”Raccourcisseur,m.(popular),the executioner. Called also “Charlot.” SeeMonsieur de Paris.Rachevage,m.(popular),depraved individual;a foul-mouthed man.Racine de buis,f.(popular),epithet applied to a humpback, to a“lord.” Alsolong yellow tooth.Râcler(thieves’),to breathe.Tortille la vis au pante; il râcle encore,throttle him, he breathes still. (Popular)Râcler du fromage,to play the violin.Râclette,f.(popular),chimney-sweep; (thieves’)spy, “nose;”detective, “cop.”Râclure d’aubergine,f.(familiar),the ribbon of the decorationofofficier d’Académie, which is violet.Des hommes un peu plus âgés et portant à la boutonnière la “râclure d’aubergine” (le ruban d’officier d’Académie).—Didier,Echo de Paris, 1886.Rade,radeau,m.(thieves’),till, or “lob;”shop, “chovey.”Encasquer dans un rade,to enter a shop.Radicaille, orradicanaille,f.(familiar),the Radical party.Radicaillon,m.(familiar),contemptuous epithet applied to a Radical.Radicon,m.(thieves’),priest, “devil-dodger.” Termed also “Bible-pounder, white choker.”Radin,m.(thieves’),fob.Friser le ——,to pick a fob.Un —— fleuri,a well-filled pocket.Un ——,a till, or “lob.”Faire un coup de ——,to steal the contents of a till. Termed by English thieves, “lob sneaking,” or “to draw a damper.”Un ——,a cap, or “tile.”Vol au ——,robbery in a shop. Two rogues pretend to quarrel, and one of them, as if in anger, throws the other’s cap into a shop, thus providing his accomplice with a pretext for entering the place, and an excuse should he be detected. SeeVol au radin.Radiner(thieves’),to return, “to hare it;”to arrive, “to tumble up.”Rigaudsays, “Radiner est sans doute une déformation du verbe rabziner qui, dans le patois picard, a la même signification.”Radis(familiar and popular),money, “tin.”N’avoir pas un ——,to be penniless,to be“dead broke.”Ne pas foutre un ——,not to give a farthing.Qu’a pleur’, qu’a rigol’; c’est tout comme;Sûr! J’y foutrai pas un radis.“T’as qu’à turbiner, comme j’y dis,J’travaill’ ben, moi qui suis un homme!”Gill,La Muse à Bibi.Un —— noir,priest, “white choker;”police officer, or “crusher.”Radouber(popular),se ——, orpasser au grand radoub,to eat, “to yam.”Radurer(thieves’),to whet.Radureur,m.(thieves’),grinder.Rafale,f.(popular and thieves’),poverty. A poor man without a farthing is said to be “dead broke, or a willow.”Cela est assez étonnant, dit la brune, tous les “nierts” qui sont venus pioncer “icigo” étaient dans la “rafale;” c’est un vrai guignon.—Vidocq.Rafalé,m.andadj.(popular and thieves’),poor, “willow;”one with squalid clothes. (Familiar)Un visage ——,face with worn features.Rafalement,m.(popular),humiliation;squalid poverty.Rafaler(popular),to humiliate;to make one wretched.Se ——,to become poor or squalid.Raffe,f.(popular and thieves’),booty,spoil, “swag.” “He cracked a case and fenced the swag,”he broke into a house and took the booty to a receiver’s.Raffiler la manquesse(thieves’),to give one a bad character.Raffiné,m.,name given to court gallants and to duellists under Charles IX.Un raffiné est un ... homme qui se bat quand le manteau d’un autre touche le sien, quand on crache à quatre pieds de lui.—P. Mérimée,Chronique du Règne de CharlesIX.Raffurer(thieves’),to recover;to recoup. Fromreandaffurer,to procure money. From the Latinfur.Raffut,m.(popular),uproar;row, “shindy.”Rafiau,m.(popular),servant at an hospital;hospital attendant.Rafiot,m.(popular),thing of small importance, “no great shakes;”adulterated article of inferior quality. Termed “surat” in the English slang. This word affords a remarkable instance of the manner in which slang phrases are coined. In the report of an action for libel in theTimes, some few years back, it was stated that since the American Civil War it has been not unusual for manufacturers to mix American cotton with Surat, and, the latter being an inferior article, the people in Lancashire have begun to apply the term “surat” to any article of inferior or adulterated quality.Rafraîchir(military),se ——,to fight with swords. Fromrafraîchir,to trim, the swords being the trimming instruments. (Popular)Se —— les barbes,to drink, “to wet one’s whistle.” American thieves term this, “to sluice one’s gob.”Rage de dents,f.(popular),great hunger.Ragot,m.(thieves’),quarter of a crown; (popular)short fat person, “humpty-dumpty.” The famousRagotinofScarron’sRoman Comiqueis short and fat.Faire du ——,to talk ill of one,to slander.Ragougnasse,f.(popular),unsavoury stew.Ragoût,m.(painters’),vigorous style of painting.Les mots dont ils se servaient pour apprécier le mérite de certains tableaux étaient vraiment bizarres. Quelle superbe chose!... comme c’est tripoté! comme c’est torché! Quel ragoût!—Th.Gautier.(Popular)Ragoût de poitrine,breasts, or “Charlies.”T’as encore une belle nature pour parler d’z’autres! Est-ce parceque j’nons pas d’ragoût d’poitrine sus l’estoma? J’ons la place, plus blanche que la tienne, et j’n’y mettons pas d’chiffons comme toi.—Amusemens à la Grecque.(Thieves’)Ragoût,suspicion.Faire du ——,to awake suspicion.Ragoûter(thieves’),to awake suspicion.Raguse.SeeCoup.Raide,adj.andm.(popular),drunk, “tight.” SeePompette.Raide comme balle,with the utmost rapidity.Filer —— comme balle,to disappear rapidly, “like winkin’,” or, as American thieves say, “to amputate like a go-away.” “This panny’s all on fire (house is dangerous). I must amputate like a go-away, or the frogs (police) will nail me.”La trouver ——,to be dissatisfied or offended.Je la trouve raide,it is coming it rather too strong.Raide comme la justice,completely drunk, or “drunk as a lord.”Ces noceurs-là étaient raides comme la justice et tendres comme des agneaux. Le vin leur sortait par les yeux.—Zola,L’Assommoir.Du ——,brandy, “French cream.” Termed “bingo” in old English cant.Siffler un verre de ——,to have a dram, “a drop o’ summat’ short, or a nail in one’s coffin.” The lower orders say to each other at the moment of lifting a glass of spirits to their lips, “Well, good luck! here’s another nail in my coffin.” Other phrases are “shedding a tear, or wiping an eye.”Raideur,f.(popular),la faire à la ——,to give oneself dignified, “noli me tangere” airs.Raidir(popular), or—— l’ergot,to die, “to snuff it.” SeePipe. To express that one is dead English and American thievessay that he has been “put to bed with a shovel.”Played out they lay, it will be saidA hundred stretches (years) hence;With shovels they were put to bedA hundred stretches hence!Thieves’ Song.Raie.SeeGueule.Raille,f.andm.(thieves’),la ——,the police, the “reelers.”Etre ——,to be in the employ of the police, a “nose.”C’est vrai, mais vous ne m’avez pas dit que vous étiez raille (mouchard).—Vidocq.Un ——, orrailleux,police officer, or “copper;”a detective,or police spy.Ils parlaient aussi des railles (mouchards). A propos de railles, vous n’êtes pas sans avoir entendu parler d’un fameux coquin, qui s’est fait cuisinier (mouchard).—Vidocq.Victor Hugosays the word comes from the English “rascal,” butMichelderives it with more reason from “raillon,” a kind of javelin with which the archers or police were armed formerly.Ci gist et dort en ce sollier,Qu’Amour occist de son raillon,Ung pouvre petit escollierJadis nommé François Villon.Le Grand Testament de François Villon.Raisiné,m.(thieves’),blood. Properlyjam made of grapes.Faire couler le ——,to shed blood.Je suis sûr que tu es marqué. Qu’avons-nous fait? Avons-nous tué notre mère ou forcé la caisse à papa? Avons-nous fait suer le chêne et couler le raisiné?—Th.Gautier.(Popular)Faire du ——,to bleed from one’s nose.Raisins,m. pl.(popular),huile de ——,wine; “red tape,” in the jargon of English thieves.Auguste, un peintre en bâtiment,Qui travaillait en face,Entre, et nous dit comm’ ça m’z’enfansJ’ai l’gosier qui s’encrasse.Faut y mettr’ de l’huil’ de raisin.H. P. DennevilleRaisons,f. pl.(familiar and popular),avoir des —— avec quelqu’un,to have a quarrel with one.Râler(popular),to deceive, “to best;”to cheapen.Râleur,m.(second-hand booksellers’),person who handles the books without buying any, and generallyone who bargains for a long time and buys nothing. Alsoliar.Râleuse,f.(shop-keepers’),female who cheapens many articles and leaves without having made a purchase. Alsoliar.Rallie-papier,m.(familiar),paper chase on horseback.Rama,parler en ——, formerlymode of using the word as a suffix to other words. The invention of the Diorama had brought in the fashion of using the word rama as stated above. It was much in vogue inBalzac’s time, and had been first used in the studios.“Eh bien, Monsieur Poiret,” dit l’employé, “comment va cette petite santérama?”—Balzac.(Convicts’)Mettre au ——,to place in irons.Le soir, après la soupe, on nous mit au rama; nous étions étonnés. Ce n’était pas l’habitude de nous enchaîner sitôt.—Humbert,Mon Bagne.Ramamichage,m.(familiar),reconciliation.Ramamicher(popular),to bring about a reconciliation.Ramasser(military),de la boîte,to be locked up.J’ai mon truc à matriculer pour à c’soir; si c’est pas fait, j’ ramasserai de la boîte.—G.Courteline.Ramasser les fourreaux de bayonnette,to come up after the battle has been fought; (thieves’ and roughs’)—— les pattes, orfiler une ratisse à un gas,to thrash one. SeeVoie.Ramasser un bidon,to make off, “to make beef.” SeePatatrot. (Popular)Ramasser ses outils,to die, “to snuff it;”—— quelqu’un,to apprehend, “to nail”one;to thrash one.Se faire ——,to be locked up by the police,to be“run in;”to get a thrashing.Si le patron m’embête, je te le ramasse et je te l’asseois sur sa bourgeoise, tu sais, collés comme une paire de soles!—Zola,L’Assommoir.Ramasse-toi(popular),words addressed to a person who is talking incoherently.Ramastiquer(thieves’),to pick up;to do the ring-dropping trick, or “fawney rig.” SeeRamastiqueur.Ramastiqueur, orramastiqué,variety of thief, “money-dropper.” The rogue scrapes up an acquaintance with a dupe by inquiring about a coin or article of sham jewellery which he pretends to have just picked up in the street, and offers for sale, or otherwise fleeces the pigeon. Many of these rogues are rascally Jews. This kind of swindle is varied by dropping a pocket-book, the accomplice being termed in this case “heeler.” The heeler stoops behind the victim and strikes one of his heels as if by mistake, so as to draw his attention to the pocket-book. Alsobeggar who picks up halfpence in courts thrown to him from windows.Les arcassineurs sont les mendiants à domicile. Les ramastiqueurs les mendiants de cours qui ramassent les sous. Les tendeurs de demi-aune, les mendiants des rues.—Mémoires de Monsieur Claude.(Popular)Ramastiqueur d’orphelins,poor wretch who goes about picking up cigar and cigarette ends, a “hard up.”Rambiner(popular),to patch up old shoes.Tout le monde sait que son père rambinait les croknaux.—Le Tam-Tam.Rambuteau,m.(familiar and popular),urinals on the boulevards. From the name of a prefect of police who caused them to be set up.Ramener(familiar),to brush the hair forward to conceal one’s baldness.Il ramène,he is getting bald. Termed also “emprunter un qui vaut dix.”Rameneur,m.(gamesters’),man of gentlemanly appearance, whose functions are to induce people to attend a gaming-house or gaming club.Un personnel de rameneurs qui, membres réguliers du cercle, gentlemen en apparence ... ont pour mission de racoler ... ceux qui bien nourris à la table d’hôte, seront une heure après dévorés à celle du baccara.—Hector Malot,Baccara.The American “picker-up” somewhat corresponds to the “rameneur.” The picker-up takes his man to a gambling saloon, and leaves him there to be enticed into playing. The picker-up is always a gentleman in manners, dress, and appearance. He first sees the man’s name on the hotel register and where he is from. Many of the servants of hotels are in the pay of pickers-up, and furnish them with information concerning guests. (Familiar)Rameneur,old beau who seeks to conceal his baldness by brushing forward the scanty hair from the back of his head.Rameneuse,f.(popular),girl who makes it a practice to wait for clients at the doors of cafés at closing time.Ramicher, orramamicher(popular),to bring about a reconciliation.Se ——,to be friends again.Ramijoter(popular),to effect a reconciliation.Se ——,to make it up.Ils se sont ramijotés (réconciliés); et d’après des mots de leur conversation, je répondrais bien qu’il a couché avec Félicité.—Vidocq.Ramollot,m.(familiar and popular),stupid old soldier. From a character delineated by Charles Leroy.Ramonage,m.(popular),muttering nonsense.Ramoner(popular),to mutter,to mumble. An allusion to the rumbling noise produced by sweeping a chimney.Se faire ——,to go to confession;to take a purgative. Alsoto get thrashed or scolded.Ramoner ses tuyaux,to run away. For synonyms seePatatrot.Ramor,m.(Jewish tradespeople’s),fool, “flat.”Rampant,m.(popular),priest, or “white choker;”Jesuit;steeple. Probably from the old signification of ramper,to climb,to ascend.Rampante,f.(popular),church.Rampe,f.(familiar),princesse de la ——,actress.Une pomme de ——,a bald head, or “bladder of lard.” (Theatrical)Se brûler à la ——,to approach close to the footlights, and play as if no other actors were present.Lâcher la ——,to die. SeePipe.Ramponner(popular),to drink, “to lush;”to get drunk, or “screwed.”Rancart,m.(familiar),object of little value, “no great shakes.” (Thieves’)Faire un ——,to procure information.Rancké,m.(thieves’),two-franc coin.Rangé des voitures,adj.(thieves’),is said of one who has become honest.A vingt et un ans rangé des voitures.—From a thief’s letter.Ranger(popular),se —— des voitures,to become honest. Is said also of a man who, after having sown his wild oats, leads a quiet life.Rapapiotage,m.(popular),reconciliation.Rapapioter(popular),to effect a reconciliation.Rapapioteur,m.(popular),one by whose kind efforts a reconciliation is effected.Rapatu,m.(thieves’),body-louse.Râpe,f.(thieves’),back. Used more in reference to a humpback.Râpé,m.andadj.(military),officer without any private means; (popular)—— comme la Hollande,very poor, “quisby.” An allusion torâper,to rasp, and Dutch cheese.Râper(popular),to sing, “to lip.” Alsoto sing in a monotonous fashion.Rapiat,subst.andadj.(familiar and popular),stingy, “close-fisted, or near.” Termed “brum” at Winchester School.Une ——,a miserly woman.C’est égal, t’es une jolie fille; ça faisait mal de te voir chez cette mauvaise rapiat de bonapartiste de mère Lefèvre.—Hector France.Un ——,a native ofAuvergne. The natives of each province of France are credited with someparticular characteristics; thus, as seen above, theAuvergnatsare said to be thrifty, stingy, miserly; the Normans thievish, fond of going to law; thePicards are hot-headed, of an irate disposition; theBretonshave a reputation for being pig-headed; theGasconsfor possessing a mind fertile in resource, and for being great story-tellers—also for bragging; theChampenoisis supposed to be stupid; the Parisians are “artful dodgers;” theLorrainsare, it is alleged, treacherous; and the natives ofCambraiare all mad. Hence the proverbial sayings:avare comme un Auvergnat;voleur comme un Normand;entêté comme un Breton;99 moutons et un Champenois font cent bêtes,&c.Again, among soldiers “un Parisien” is synonymous with a soldier who seeks to shirk his duty; sailors apply the epithet to a bad sailor, horsedealers to a “screw,”&c.,&c.Rapiot,m.(popular),patch on a coat or shoe; (thieves’)searching on the person, “frisking, or ruling over.” Formerly the term referred to the searching of convicts about to be taken to the hulks.Le grand ——,was the general searching of convicts.Michelsays, “Il est à croire que ce mot n’est autre chose que le substantifrappelqui faisait autrefoisrappiausau singulier; mais le rapport entre une visite et un rappel? C’est que sans doute cette opération était annoncés par une batterie de tambour.”Rapioter(popular),to patch up.Monsieur, faites donc rapioter les trous de votre habit.—Mornand.(Thieves’)To search, “to frisk.”Butons les rupins d’abord, nous refroidirons après la fourgate et nous rapioterons partout. Il y a gros dans la taule.—Vidocq.Rapioteur,m.,rapioteuse,f.(popular),one who patches up old clothes.Georges Cadoudal, avant son arrestation, avait trouvé asile chez une jeune rapioteuse du Temple.—F. Mornand,La Vie de Paris.Rapointi,m.(popular),clumsy, awkward workman.Rappliquer(popular and thieves’),to return, “to hare it;”—— à la niche, orà la taule,to return home.Tout est tranquille ... la sorgue est noire, les largues ne sont pas rappliquées à la taule, la fourgate roupille dans son rade.—Vidocq. (All“serene” ...the night is dark, the women have not returned home, the receiver sleeps inside his counter.)Rasé, orrazi,m.(thieves’),priest. From his shaven crown.Raser(familiar),to annoy,to bore one.Nous avons été voir les Mauresques. Dieu! les avons-nous rasées avec nos plaisanteries.—Loriot.Alsoto ruin one.Elle s’est essayée sur le sieur Hulot qu’elle a plumé net, oh! plumé, ce qui s’appelle rasé.—Balzac.(Shopmen’s)Raser,to swindle a fellow shop-assistant out of his sale; (sailors’)to tell“fibs;”to humbug.Rase-tapis,m.(familiar),a horse that trots or gallops without lifting its feet much from the ground, “daisy-cutter.”Raseur,m.(familiar),a bore.Ce type est en même temps un “raseur” de l’espèce spéciale dite “des déboutonneurs à histoires bien bonnes.” Vous savez bien ces braves gens à qui vous ne pouvez pas adresser la parole sans qu’ils vous répondent par: “Je vais vous raconter une bien bonne histoire” et qui commencent immédiatement par vous arracher, un à un, les boutons de votre redingote.—Gil Blas.(Shopmen’s)Raseur,one who swindles a fellow shop-assistant out of his sale.Rasibus,m.(popular),le père ——,the executioner. A play on the word raser,to shave.Et le coup de la bagnole au père Rasibus, quand il fouette les cadors au galop et que les cognes font un blaire.—Richepin.Rasoir,m.andadj.(familiar and popular),bore;boring.On commence à nous embêter avec les bleus. Tout le temps les bleus, ça devient rasoir à la fin; on nous prend trop pour de bonnes têtes.—G.Courteline.Rasoir de Birmingham,superlative of bore. (Popular)Rasoir!expression of contemptuous refusal; may be rendered by the Americanism, “yes, in a horn.”Faire ——,to be penniless. (Gamesters’)Banque ——,gaming“banque”which has a run of luck, and in consequence leaves the players penniless.Faire ——,to lose all one’s money, “to blew”it.Ça fait ——,nothing is left.Mangeux de tout; excepté l’tien,Car tu n’as rien; ça fait rasoir.Riche-en-gueule.(Thieves’)Rasoir à Roch, or—— de la Cigogne,guillotine.M.Rochwas formerly the executioner, andla Cigogneis the epithet applied to thePréfecture de Police. The knife of the guillotine was termed in ’93, “rasoir national.”Raspail,m.(popular),brandy, “French cream,” and “bingo” in old English cant. Termed also “troix-six,fil-en-quatre,dur,raide,chenique,rude,crik,eau d’aff,schnapps,camphre,sacré chien,goutte,casse-poitrine,jaune,tord-boyaux,consolation,riquiqui,eau de mort.”Rassembler(military),se faire ——,to get reprimanded or punished.Rastacouère, orrastaquouère,foreign adventurer or swindler, generally hailing from the sunny south, or from South America, who lives in high style, of course at somebody or other’s expense.La petite Raymonde D..., sa chère adorée, qu’on avait surnommée, je ne sais pourquoi, sa “chair à saucisses,” l’a lâché comme un vulgaire rastaquouère, pour se mettre avec un jockey.—Gil Blas.Rat,m.(thieves’),young thief who is generally passed through a small aperture to open a door and let in the rest of the gang, or else conceals himself under the counter of a shop before the doors are closed, “little snakesman, or tool.”He kept him small on purpose, and let him out by the job. But the father gets lagged.—Ch.Dickens,Oliver Twist.Alsothief who exercises his skill at inns or wine-shops.Courir le ——,to steal at night in lodgings, or at lodging-houses.Rat,thief who steals bread;—— de prison,barrister, or “mouthpiece.”Prendre des rats par la queuemeant formerlyto steal purses, when persons wore their purses at their girdles. A cut-purse was formerly called a “nypper.” A man named Wotton, in 1585, kept in London an academy for the education of pickpockets. Cutting them was a branch of the light-fingered art. Instruction in the practice was given as follows: a purse and a pocket were separately suspended, attached to which, both around and above them, were small bells; each contained counters, and he who could withdraw a counter without causing any of the bells to ring was adjudged to be a “nypper.” The old English cant termed cutting a purse, “to nyp a bunge.” Dickens, inOliver Twist, shows Fagin educating the Dodger and CharleyBates by impersonating an old gentleman walking about the streets, the two boys following him and seeking to pick his pockets. (Popular)Rat de cave,excise officer,gauger;—— d’égout,scavenger. (Ecole Polytechnique)Rat,student who is late;—— de pont,student whose total of marks at the final examination does not entitle him to an appointment in the corps of government civil engineers of thePonts et Chaussées;—— de soupe,one late for dinner. Fromrater,to miss. (Familiar)Rat, or—— d’opéra,young ballet dancer between the ages of seven and fourteen. (Sailors’)Rat de quai,man who looks out for odd jobs in harbours.
Rabat,m.(popular and thieves’),cloak, “ryder, or topper.”
Rabateux de sorgue,m.(old cant),night thief. Termed also “doubleur de sorgue.”Michelsays:“On donnait le nom de ‘rabats’ aux lutins et c’est ainsi que le chartreux Jacques de Clusa, ou Junterburck, qui a écrit un traité des Apparitions des âmes après la mort et de leurs retraites, remarque qu’ils sont appelés. Rabelais, qui écrivait postérieurement au crédule chartreux, place dans la bibliothèque de Saint-Victorla Mommerye des rabats et luitins. De rabat est venu rabater, lutiner, que Nicot, Pontus de Tyard et Trippault dérivent deραβáττειν, dont les Grecs se sont servis pour dire se promener haut et bas, frapper, et faire du bruit.... En somme, il n’est pas douteux que ‘rabateux’ ne vienne de ‘rabater,’ et ne signifie étymologiquement rôdeur de nuit.”
Rabatteur de pantes,m.(thieves’),detective, “cop.” Termed also “baladin.” Literallya beater, man being the quarry.
Rabatteuse,f.(popular),procuress;small omnibus which plies between Paris and the outlying districts.
Rabattre(thieves’),to return.
C’est égal, t’as beau en coquer, tu rabattras au pré.—Vidocq. (Never mind, in spite of all your informing, you will one day return to the hulks.)
Rabiage,m.(thieves’),income;profits.
Rabiau,rabio, orrabiot,m.(military),what remains of provisions or drink after all have had their share;profits on victuals or forage. The word has the general signification ofremainder,over-plus.
—C’que c’est que c’ paquet-là?
—Mon colonel, c’est ... du sel.
—Du sel ... tant qu’ ça de sel! c’que vous f... d’tant qu’ ça d’sel?
—Mon colonel, c’est que ... c’est un peu de rabio.
—Rabio! c’ment ça, rabio? Pour lors vous avez volé tout c’sel-là aux hommes! S’crongnieugnieu!... allons f... moi tout ça dans la soupe!—Ch.Leroy,Guibollard et Ramollot.
Rabiot,convalescent soldier;what remains of a term of service;term of service in thecompagnies de discipline, or punishment companies, termed“biribi.”
Il acheva la journée dans des transesindicibles, poursuivi de l’atroce pensée qu’il allait faire du rabiot, se voyant déjà à Biribi, en train de casser des cailloux sur les routes.—G.Courteline.
Rabiauter, orrabioter(military),to eat or drink what others have left.
Rabibochage,m.(familiar and popular),reconciliation.
Rabibocher(familiar),to effect a reconciliation between people who have quarrelled.Se ——,to forget one’s differences,to become friends again.
Les moindres bisbilles maintenant, finissaient par des attrapages, où l’on se jetait la débine de la maison à la tête; et c’était le diable pour se rabibocher, avant d’aller pioncer chacun dans son dodo.—Zola,L’Assommoir.
Rabiot.SeeRabiau.
Rabioter.SeeRabiauter.
Raboin,m.(thieves’),devil, “ruffin, black spy, darble, old hairy.”
En v’là un de bigoteur qui a le taffetas d’aller en glier où le Raboin le retournera pour le faire riffauder.—Vidocq.
Michelsays: “Ce mot doit venir de l’espagnol ‘rabo,’ queue, le raboin est donc le personnage à la queue. Je ne serais pas étonné que le nom de rabbin, par lequel on désigne encore les docteurs juifs, ne fût l’origine de la croyance qui régnait parmi le peuple, au moyen âge, que les Israélites naissaient avec une queue.” Termed also “rabouin.”
Il lansquine à éteindre le riffe du rabouin.—Victor Hugo.
Compare the word with the Italian cant “rabuino,” which has a like signification.
Raboter(popular),l’andosse,to thrash one, “to dust one’s jacket.”Se —— le sifflet,to drink a glass of strong brandy. A metaphor which recalls the action of a plane on a piece of wood.
Raboteux.SeeRabateux.
Rabouillère,f.(familiar),wretched looking house, a “hole.”
Rabouler(popular and thieves’),to return. American thieves term this, “to hare it; “—— à la cassine,to return home, “to speel to the crib.”
Raccord,m.(theatrical),partial rehearsal of a play.
Raccourcir(familiar and popular),to guillotine. The expression dates from 1793. We find the following synonyms inLe Père Duchêneof ’93, edited byHébert: “cracher dans le sac,” an allusion to the head falling into the basket and the blood spouting up; “mettre la tête à la fenêtre,” shows the condemned one passing his head through the aperture; “jouer à la main-chaude,” which alludes to his hands tied behind his back,la main-chaudebeing literallyhot cockles; “passer sous le rasoir national,” which needs no explanation. After ’93 LouisXVI. was called “Louis le raccourci.”
Raccourcisseur,m.(popular),the executioner. Called also “Charlot.” SeeMonsieur de Paris.
Rachevage,m.(popular),depraved individual;a foul-mouthed man.
Racine de buis,f.(popular),epithet applied to a humpback, to a“lord.” Alsolong yellow tooth.
Râcler(thieves’),to breathe.Tortille la vis au pante; il râcle encore,throttle him, he breathes still. (Popular)Râcler du fromage,to play the violin.
Râclette,f.(popular),chimney-sweep; (thieves’)spy, “nose;”detective, “cop.”
Râclure d’aubergine,f.(familiar),the ribbon of the decorationofofficier d’Académie, which is violet.
Des hommes un peu plus âgés et portant à la boutonnière la “râclure d’aubergine” (le ruban d’officier d’Académie).—Didier,Echo de Paris, 1886.
Rade,radeau,m.(thieves’),till, or “lob;”shop, “chovey.”Encasquer dans un rade,to enter a shop.
Radicaille, orradicanaille,f.(familiar),the Radical party.
Radicaillon,m.(familiar),contemptuous epithet applied to a Radical.
Radicon,m.(thieves’),priest, “devil-dodger.” Termed also “Bible-pounder, white choker.”
Radin,m.(thieves’),fob.Friser le ——,to pick a fob.Un —— fleuri,a well-filled pocket.Un ——,a till, or “lob.”Faire un coup de ——,to steal the contents of a till. Termed by English thieves, “lob sneaking,” or “to draw a damper.”Un ——,a cap, or “tile.”Vol au ——,robbery in a shop. Two rogues pretend to quarrel, and one of them, as if in anger, throws the other’s cap into a shop, thus providing his accomplice with a pretext for entering the place, and an excuse should he be detected. SeeVol au radin.
Radiner(thieves’),to return, “to hare it;”to arrive, “to tumble up.”Rigaudsays, “Radiner est sans doute une déformation du verbe rabziner qui, dans le patois picard, a la même signification.”
Radis(familiar and popular),money, “tin.”N’avoir pas un ——,to be penniless,to be“dead broke.”Ne pas foutre un ——,not to give a farthing.
Qu’a pleur’, qu’a rigol’; c’est tout comme;Sûr! J’y foutrai pas un radis.“T’as qu’à turbiner, comme j’y dis,J’travaill’ ben, moi qui suis un homme!”Gill,La Muse à Bibi.
Qu’a pleur’, qu’a rigol’; c’est tout comme;Sûr! J’y foutrai pas un radis.“T’as qu’à turbiner, comme j’y dis,J’travaill’ ben, moi qui suis un homme!”Gill,La Muse à Bibi.
Qu’a pleur’, qu’a rigol’; c’est tout comme;Sûr! J’y foutrai pas un radis.“T’as qu’à turbiner, comme j’y dis,J’travaill’ ben, moi qui suis un homme!”Gill,La Muse à Bibi.
Qu’a pleur’, qu’a rigol’; c’est tout comme;
Sûr! J’y foutrai pas un radis.
“T’as qu’à turbiner, comme j’y dis,
J’travaill’ ben, moi qui suis un homme!”
Gill,La Muse à Bibi.
Un —— noir,priest, “white choker;”police officer, or “crusher.”
Radouber(popular),se ——, orpasser au grand radoub,to eat, “to yam.”
Radurer(thieves’),to whet.
Radureur,m.(thieves’),grinder.
Rafale,f.(popular and thieves’),poverty. A poor man without a farthing is said to be “dead broke, or a willow.”
Cela est assez étonnant, dit la brune, tous les “nierts” qui sont venus pioncer “icigo” étaient dans la “rafale;” c’est un vrai guignon.—Vidocq.
Rafalé,m.andadj.(popular and thieves’),poor, “willow;”one with squalid clothes. (Familiar)Un visage ——,face with worn features.
Rafalement,m.(popular),humiliation;squalid poverty.
Rafaler(popular),to humiliate;to make one wretched.Se ——,to become poor or squalid.
Raffe,f.(popular and thieves’),booty,spoil, “swag.” “He cracked a case and fenced the swag,”he broke into a house and took the booty to a receiver’s.
Raffiler la manquesse(thieves’),to give one a bad character.
Raffiné,m.,name given to court gallants and to duellists under Charles IX.
Un raffiné est un ... homme qui se bat quand le manteau d’un autre touche le sien, quand on crache à quatre pieds de lui.—P. Mérimée,Chronique du Règne de CharlesIX.
Raffurer(thieves’),to recover;to recoup. Fromreandaffurer,to procure money. From the Latinfur.
Raffut,m.(popular),uproar;row, “shindy.”
Rafiau,m.(popular),servant at an hospital;hospital attendant.
Rafiot,m.(popular),thing of small importance, “no great shakes;”adulterated article of inferior quality. Termed “surat” in the English slang. This word affords a remarkable instance of the manner in which slang phrases are coined. In the report of an action for libel in theTimes, some few years back, it was stated that since the American Civil War it has been not unusual for manufacturers to mix American cotton with Surat, and, the latter being an inferior article, the people in Lancashire have begun to apply the term “surat” to any article of inferior or adulterated quality.
Rafraîchir(military),se ——,to fight with swords. Fromrafraîchir,to trim, the swords being the trimming instruments. (Popular)Se —— les barbes,to drink, “to wet one’s whistle.” American thieves term this, “to sluice one’s gob.”
Rage de dents,f.(popular),great hunger.
Ragot,m.(thieves’),quarter of a crown; (popular)short fat person, “humpty-dumpty.” The famousRagotinofScarron’sRoman Comiqueis short and fat.Faire du ——,to talk ill of one,to slander.
Ragougnasse,f.(popular),unsavoury stew.
Ragoût,m.(painters’),vigorous style of painting.
Les mots dont ils se servaient pour apprécier le mérite de certains tableaux étaient vraiment bizarres. Quelle superbe chose!... comme c’est tripoté! comme c’est torché! Quel ragoût!—Th.Gautier.
(Popular)Ragoût de poitrine,breasts, or “Charlies.”
T’as encore une belle nature pour parler d’z’autres! Est-ce parceque j’nons pas d’ragoût d’poitrine sus l’estoma? J’ons la place, plus blanche que la tienne, et j’n’y mettons pas d’chiffons comme toi.—Amusemens à la Grecque.
(Thieves’)Ragoût,suspicion.Faire du ——,to awake suspicion.
Ragoûter(thieves’),to awake suspicion.
Raguse.SeeCoup.
Raide,adj.andm.(popular),drunk, “tight.” SeePompette.Raide comme balle,with the utmost rapidity.Filer —— comme balle,to disappear rapidly, “like winkin’,” or, as American thieves say, “to amputate like a go-away.” “This panny’s all on fire (house is dangerous). I must amputate like a go-away, or the frogs (police) will nail me.”La trouver ——,to be dissatisfied or offended.Je la trouve raide,it is coming it rather too strong.Raide comme la justice,completely drunk, or “drunk as a lord.”
Ces noceurs-là étaient raides comme la justice et tendres comme des agneaux. Le vin leur sortait par les yeux.—Zola,L’Assommoir.
Du ——,brandy, “French cream.” Termed “bingo” in old English cant.Siffler un verre de ——,to have a dram, “a drop o’ summat’ short, or a nail in one’s coffin.” The lower orders say to each other at the moment of lifting a glass of spirits to their lips, “Well, good luck! here’s another nail in my coffin.” Other phrases are “shedding a tear, or wiping an eye.”
Raideur,f.(popular),la faire à la ——,to give oneself dignified, “noli me tangere” airs.
Raidir(popular), or—— l’ergot,to die, “to snuff it.” SeePipe. To express that one is dead English and American thievessay that he has been “put to bed with a shovel.”
Played out they lay, it will be saidA hundred stretches (years) hence;With shovels they were put to bedA hundred stretches hence!Thieves’ Song.
Played out they lay, it will be saidA hundred stretches (years) hence;With shovels they were put to bedA hundred stretches hence!Thieves’ Song.
Played out they lay, it will be saidA hundred stretches (years) hence;With shovels they were put to bedA hundred stretches hence!Thieves’ Song.
Played out they lay, it will be said
A hundred stretches (years) hence;
With shovels they were put to bed
A hundred stretches hence!
Thieves’ Song.
Raie.SeeGueule.
Raille,f.andm.(thieves’),la ——,the police, the “reelers.”Etre ——,to be in the employ of the police, a “nose.”
C’est vrai, mais vous ne m’avez pas dit que vous étiez raille (mouchard).—Vidocq.
Un ——, orrailleux,police officer, or “copper;”a detective,or police spy.
Ils parlaient aussi des railles (mouchards). A propos de railles, vous n’êtes pas sans avoir entendu parler d’un fameux coquin, qui s’est fait cuisinier (mouchard).—Vidocq.
Victor Hugosays the word comes from the English “rascal,” butMichelderives it with more reason from “raillon,” a kind of javelin with which the archers or police were armed formerly.
Ci gist et dort en ce sollier,Qu’Amour occist de son raillon,Ung pouvre petit escollierJadis nommé François Villon.Le Grand Testament de François Villon.
Ci gist et dort en ce sollier,Qu’Amour occist de son raillon,Ung pouvre petit escollierJadis nommé François Villon.Le Grand Testament de François Villon.
Ci gist et dort en ce sollier,Qu’Amour occist de son raillon,Ung pouvre petit escollierJadis nommé François Villon.Le Grand Testament de François Villon.
Ci gist et dort en ce sollier,
Qu’Amour occist de son raillon,
Ung pouvre petit escollier
Jadis nommé François Villon.
Le Grand Testament de François Villon.
Raisiné,m.(thieves’),blood. Properlyjam made of grapes.Faire couler le ——,to shed blood.
Je suis sûr que tu es marqué. Qu’avons-nous fait? Avons-nous tué notre mère ou forcé la caisse à papa? Avons-nous fait suer le chêne et couler le raisiné?—Th.Gautier.
(Popular)Faire du ——,to bleed from one’s nose.
Raisins,m. pl.(popular),huile de ——,wine; “red tape,” in the jargon of English thieves.
Auguste, un peintre en bâtiment,Qui travaillait en face,Entre, et nous dit comm’ ça m’z’enfansJ’ai l’gosier qui s’encrasse.Faut y mettr’ de l’huil’ de raisin.H. P. Denneville
Auguste, un peintre en bâtiment,Qui travaillait en face,Entre, et nous dit comm’ ça m’z’enfansJ’ai l’gosier qui s’encrasse.Faut y mettr’ de l’huil’ de raisin.H. P. Denneville
Auguste, un peintre en bâtiment,Qui travaillait en face,Entre, et nous dit comm’ ça m’z’enfansJ’ai l’gosier qui s’encrasse.Faut y mettr’ de l’huil’ de raisin.H. P. Denneville
Auguste, un peintre en bâtiment,
Qui travaillait en face,
Entre, et nous dit comm’ ça m’z’enfans
J’ai l’gosier qui s’encrasse.
Faut y mettr’ de l’huil’ de raisin.
H. P. Denneville
Raisons,f. pl.(familiar and popular),avoir des —— avec quelqu’un,to have a quarrel with one.
Râler(popular),to deceive, “to best;”to cheapen.
Râleur,m.(second-hand booksellers’),person who handles the books without buying any, and generallyone who bargains for a long time and buys nothing. Alsoliar.
Râleuse,f.(shop-keepers’),female who cheapens many articles and leaves without having made a purchase. Alsoliar.
Rallie-papier,m.(familiar),paper chase on horseback.
Rama,parler en ——, formerlymode of using the word as a suffix to other words. The invention of the Diorama had brought in the fashion of using the word rama as stated above. It was much in vogue inBalzac’s time, and had been first used in the studios.
“Eh bien, Monsieur Poiret,” dit l’employé, “comment va cette petite santérama?”—Balzac.
(Convicts’)Mettre au ——,to place in irons.
Le soir, après la soupe, on nous mit au rama; nous étions étonnés. Ce n’était pas l’habitude de nous enchaîner sitôt.—Humbert,Mon Bagne.
Ramamichage,m.(familiar),reconciliation.
Ramamicher(popular),to bring about a reconciliation.
Ramasser(military),de la boîte,to be locked up.
J’ai mon truc à matriculer pour à c’soir; si c’est pas fait, j’ ramasserai de la boîte.—G.Courteline.
Ramasser les fourreaux de bayonnette,to come up after the battle has been fought; (thieves’ and roughs’)—— les pattes, orfiler une ratisse à un gas,to thrash one. SeeVoie.Ramasser un bidon,to make off, “to make beef.” SeePatatrot. (Popular)Ramasser ses outils,to die, “to snuff it;”—— quelqu’un,to apprehend, “to nail”one;to thrash one.Se faire ——,to be locked up by the police,to be“run in;”to get a thrashing.
Si le patron m’embête, je te le ramasse et je te l’asseois sur sa bourgeoise, tu sais, collés comme une paire de soles!—Zola,L’Assommoir.
Ramasse-toi(popular),words addressed to a person who is talking incoherently.
Ramastiquer(thieves’),to pick up;to do the ring-dropping trick, or “fawney rig.” SeeRamastiqueur.
Ramastiqueur, orramastiqué,variety of thief, “money-dropper.” The rogue scrapes up an acquaintance with a dupe by inquiring about a coin or article of sham jewellery which he pretends to have just picked up in the street, and offers for sale, or otherwise fleeces the pigeon. Many of these rogues are rascally Jews. This kind of swindle is varied by dropping a pocket-book, the accomplice being termed in this case “heeler.” The heeler stoops behind the victim and strikes one of his heels as if by mistake, so as to draw his attention to the pocket-book. Alsobeggar who picks up halfpence in courts thrown to him from windows.
Les arcassineurs sont les mendiants à domicile. Les ramastiqueurs les mendiants de cours qui ramassent les sous. Les tendeurs de demi-aune, les mendiants des rues.—Mémoires de Monsieur Claude.
(Popular)Ramastiqueur d’orphelins,poor wretch who goes about picking up cigar and cigarette ends, a “hard up.”
Rambiner(popular),to patch up old shoes.
Tout le monde sait que son père rambinait les croknaux.—Le Tam-Tam.
Rambuteau,m.(familiar and popular),urinals on the boulevards. From the name of a prefect of police who caused them to be set up.
Ramener(familiar),to brush the hair forward to conceal one’s baldness.Il ramène,he is getting bald. Termed also “emprunter un qui vaut dix.”
Rameneur,m.(gamesters’),man of gentlemanly appearance, whose functions are to induce people to attend a gaming-house or gaming club.
Un personnel de rameneurs qui, membres réguliers du cercle, gentlemen en apparence ... ont pour mission de racoler ... ceux qui bien nourris à la table d’hôte, seront une heure après dévorés à celle du baccara.—Hector Malot,Baccara.
The American “picker-up” somewhat corresponds to the “rameneur.” The picker-up takes his man to a gambling saloon, and leaves him there to be enticed into playing. The picker-up is always a gentleman in manners, dress, and appearance. He first sees the man’s name on the hotel register and where he is from. Many of the servants of hotels are in the pay of pickers-up, and furnish them with information concerning guests. (Familiar)Rameneur,old beau who seeks to conceal his baldness by brushing forward the scanty hair from the back of his head.
Rameneuse,f.(popular),girl who makes it a practice to wait for clients at the doors of cafés at closing time.
Ramicher, orramamicher(popular),to bring about a reconciliation.Se ——,to be friends again.
Ramijoter(popular),to effect a reconciliation.Se ——,to make it up.
Ils se sont ramijotés (réconciliés); et d’après des mots de leur conversation, je répondrais bien qu’il a couché avec Félicité.—Vidocq.
Ramollot,m.(familiar and popular),stupid old soldier. From a character delineated by Charles Leroy.
Ramonage,m.(popular),muttering nonsense.
Ramoner(popular),to mutter,to mumble. An allusion to the rumbling noise produced by sweeping a chimney.Se faire ——,to go to confession;to take a purgative. Alsoto get thrashed or scolded.Ramoner ses tuyaux,to run away. For synonyms seePatatrot.
Ramor,m.(Jewish tradespeople’s),fool, “flat.”
Rampant,m.(popular),priest, or “white choker;”Jesuit;steeple. Probably from the old signification of ramper,to climb,to ascend.
Rampante,f.(popular),church.
Rampe,f.(familiar),princesse de la ——,actress.Une pomme de ——,a bald head, or “bladder of lard.” (Theatrical)Se brûler à la ——,to approach close to the footlights, and play as if no other actors were present.Lâcher la ——,to die. SeePipe.
Ramponner(popular),to drink, “to lush;”to get drunk, or “screwed.”
Rancart,m.(familiar),object of little value, “no great shakes.” (Thieves’)Faire un ——,to procure information.
Rancké,m.(thieves’),two-franc coin.
Rangé des voitures,adj.(thieves’),is said of one who has become honest.
A vingt et un ans rangé des voitures.—From a thief’s letter.
Ranger(popular),se —— des voitures,to become honest. Is said also of a man who, after having sown his wild oats, leads a quiet life.
Rapapiotage,m.(popular),reconciliation.
Rapapioter(popular),to effect a reconciliation.
Rapapioteur,m.(popular),one by whose kind efforts a reconciliation is effected.
Rapatu,m.(thieves’),body-louse.
Râpe,f.(thieves’),back. Used more in reference to a humpback.
Râpé,m.andadj.(military),officer without any private means; (popular)—— comme la Hollande,very poor, “quisby.” An allusion torâper,to rasp, and Dutch cheese.
Râper(popular),to sing, “to lip.” Alsoto sing in a monotonous fashion.
Rapiat,subst.andadj.(familiar and popular),stingy, “close-fisted, or near.” Termed “brum” at Winchester School.Une ——,a miserly woman.
C’est égal, t’es une jolie fille; ça faisait mal de te voir chez cette mauvaise rapiat de bonapartiste de mère Lefèvre.—Hector France.
Un ——,a native ofAuvergne. The natives of each province of France are credited with someparticular characteristics; thus, as seen above, theAuvergnatsare said to be thrifty, stingy, miserly; the Normans thievish, fond of going to law; thePicards are hot-headed, of an irate disposition; theBretonshave a reputation for being pig-headed; theGasconsfor possessing a mind fertile in resource, and for being great story-tellers—also for bragging; theChampenoisis supposed to be stupid; the Parisians are “artful dodgers;” theLorrainsare, it is alleged, treacherous; and the natives ofCambraiare all mad. Hence the proverbial sayings:avare comme un Auvergnat;voleur comme un Normand;entêté comme un Breton;99 moutons et un Champenois font cent bêtes,&c.Again, among soldiers “un Parisien” is synonymous with a soldier who seeks to shirk his duty; sailors apply the epithet to a bad sailor, horsedealers to a “screw,”&c.,&c.
Rapiot,m.(popular),patch on a coat or shoe; (thieves’)searching on the person, “frisking, or ruling over.” Formerly the term referred to the searching of convicts about to be taken to the hulks.Le grand ——,was the general searching of convicts.Michelsays, “Il est à croire que ce mot n’est autre chose que le substantifrappelqui faisait autrefoisrappiausau singulier; mais le rapport entre une visite et un rappel? C’est que sans doute cette opération était annoncés par une batterie de tambour.”
Rapioter(popular),to patch up.
Monsieur, faites donc rapioter les trous de votre habit.—Mornand.
(Thieves’)To search, “to frisk.”
Butons les rupins d’abord, nous refroidirons après la fourgate et nous rapioterons partout. Il y a gros dans la taule.—Vidocq.
Rapioteur,m.,rapioteuse,f.(popular),one who patches up old clothes.
Georges Cadoudal, avant son arrestation, avait trouvé asile chez une jeune rapioteuse du Temple.—F. Mornand,La Vie de Paris.
Rapointi,m.(popular),clumsy, awkward workman.
Rappliquer(popular and thieves’),to return, “to hare it;”—— à la niche, orà la taule,to return home.
Tout est tranquille ... la sorgue est noire, les largues ne sont pas rappliquées à la taule, la fourgate roupille dans son rade.—Vidocq. (All“serene” ...the night is dark, the women have not returned home, the receiver sleeps inside his counter.)
Rasé, orrazi,m.(thieves’),priest. From his shaven crown.
Raser(familiar),to annoy,to bore one.
Nous avons été voir les Mauresques. Dieu! les avons-nous rasées avec nos plaisanteries.—Loriot.
Alsoto ruin one.
Elle s’est essayée sur le sieur Hulot qu’elle a plumé net, oh! plumé, ce qui s’appelle rasé.—Balzac.
(Shopmen’s)Raser,to swindle a fellow shop-assistant out of his sale; (sailors’)to tell“fibs;”to humbug.
Rase-tapis,m.(familiar),a horse that trots or gallops without lifting its feet much from the ground, “daisy-cutter.”
Raseur,m.(familiar),a bore.
Ce type est en même temps un “raseur” de l’espèce spéciale dite “des déboutonneurs à histoires bien bonnes.” Vous savez bien ces braves gens à qui vous ne pouvez pas adresser la parole sans qu’ils vous répondent par: “Je vais vous raconter une bien bonne histoire” et qui commencent immédiatement par vous arracher, un à un, les boutons de votre redingote.—Gil Blas.
(Shopmen’s)Raseur,one who swindles a fellow shop-assistant out of his sale.
Rasibus,m.(popular),le père ——,the executioner. A play on the word raser,to shave.
Et le coup de la bagnole au père Rasibus, quand il fouette les cadors au galop et que les cognes font un blaire.—Richepin.
Rasoir,m.andadj.(familiar and popular),bore;boring.
On commence à nous embêter avec les bleus. Tout le temps les bleus, ça devient rasoir à la fin; on nous prend trop pour de bonnes têtes.—G.Courteline.
Rasoir de Birmingham,superlative of bore. (Popular)Rasoir!expression of contemptuous refusal; may be rendered by the Americanism, “yes, in a horn.”Faire ——,to be penniless. (Gamesters’)Banque ——,gaming“banque”which has a run of luck, and in consequence leaves the players penniless.Faire ——,to lose all one’s money, “to blew”it.Ça fait ——,nothing is left.
Mangeux de tout; excepté l’tien,Car tu n’as rien; ça fait rasoir.Riche-en-gueule.
Mangeux de tout; excepté l’tien,Car tu n’as rien; ça fait rasoir.Riche-en-gueule.
Mangeux de tout; excepté l’tien,Car tu n’as rien; ça fait rasoir.Riche-en-gueule.
Mangeux de tout; excepté l’tien,
Car tu n’as rien; ça fait rasoir.
Riche-en-gueule.
(Thieves’)Rasoir à Roch, or—— de la Cigogne,guillotine.M.Rochwas formerly the executioner, andla Cigogneis the epithet applied to thePréfecture de Police. The knife of the guillotine was termed in ’93, “rasoir national.”
Raspail,m.(popular),brandy, “French cream,” and “bingo” in old English cant. Termed also “troix-six,fil-en-quatre,dur,raide,chenique,rude,crik,eau d’aff,schnapps,camphre,sacré chien,goutte,casse-poitrine,jaune,tord-boyaux,consolation,riquiqui,eau de mort.”
Rassembler(military),se faire ——,to get reprimanded or punished.
Rastacouère, orrastaquouère,foreign adventurer or swindler, generally hailing from the sunny south, or from South America, who lives in high style, of course at somebody or other’s expense.
La petite Raymonde D..., sa chère adorée, qu’on avait surnommée, je ne sais pourquoi, sa “chair à saucisses,” l’a lâché comme un vulgaire rastaquouère, pour se mettre avec un jockey.—Gil Blas.
Rat,m.(thieves’),young thief who is generally passed through a small aperture to open a door and let in the rest of the gang, or else conceals himself under the counter of a shop before the doors are closed, “little snakesman, or tool.”
He kept him small on purpose, and let him out by the job. But the father gets lagged.—Ch.Dickens,Oliver Twist.
Alsothief who exercises his skill at inns or wine-shops.Courir le ——,to steal at night in lodgings, or at lodging-houses.Rat,thief who steals bread;—— de prison,barrister, or “mouthpiece.”Prendre des rats par la queuemeant formerlyto steal purses, when persons wore their purses at their girdles. A cut-purse was formerly called a “nypper.” A man named Wotton, in 1585, kept in London an academy for the education of pickpockets. Cutting them was a branch of the light-fingered art. Instruction in the practice was given as follows: a purse and a pocket were separately suspended, attached to which, both around and above them, were small bells; each contained counters, and he who could withdraw a counter without causing any of the bells to ring was adjudged to be a “nypper.” The old English cant termed cutting a purse, “to nyp a bunge.” Dickens, inOliver Twist, shows Fagin educating the Dodger and CharleyBates by impersonating an old gentleman walking about the streets, the two boys following him and seeking to pick his pockets. (Popular)Rat de cave,excise officer,gauger;—— d’égout,scavenger. (Ecole Polytechnique)Rat,student who is late;—— de pont,student whose total of marks at the final examination does not entitle him to an appointment in the corps of government civil engineers of thePonts et Chaussées;—— de soupe,one late for dinner. Fromrater,to miss. (Familiar)Rat, or—— d’opéra,young ballet dancer between the ages of seven and fourteen. (Sailors’)Rat de quai,man who looks out for odd jobs in harbours.