Ugly, wicked, malicious, resentful.—American.Ullages, the wine of all sorts left in the bottoms of glasses at a publicdinner. This is emptied into a measure, and drunk behind the screen or in any convenient place by the waiters, which accounts for their stony glare and fishy appearance late in the evening. Maybe fromLat.ULLUS, any.Unbleached American, Yankee term, since the war, for coloured natives of the United States.Uncle, the pawnbroker.SeeMY UNCLE.Under a cloud, in difficulties. An evident reference to shady circumstances.Under the rose.SeeROSE.Understandings, the feet or boots. Men who wear exceptionally large or thick boots, are said to possess goodUNDERSTANDINGS.Understudy, toSTUDYa part for the stage, not with the view of playing it at once, but so as to be ready in the event of anything happening to its present representative. Some actors of position, who suffer from delicate health, or mental weakness, have always other and inferior, but more robust, artistsUNDERSTUDYINGtheir parts.Unfortunate, a modern euphuism for a prostitute, derived from Thomas Hood’s beautiful poem ofThe Bridge of Sighs:—“One moreUNFORTUNATE,Weary of breath,Rashly importunate,Gone to her death.”It is almost needless to remark that the poet had no intention of using the word in any but its widest and most general sense.Unicorn, a style of driving with two wheelers abreast and one leader—termed in the United States a “spike team.” “Tandem” is one wheeler and one leader. “Random,” three horses in line. “Manchester” means three horses abreast.SeeHARUM-SCARUM.Unlicked, ill-trained, uncouth, rude, and rough; an “UNLICKEDcub” is a loutish youth who has never been taught manners; from the tradition that a bear’s cub, when brought into the world, has no shape or symmetry until its dam licks it into form with her tongue. Possibly said of a boy who has been petted,i.e., who has been insufficiently thrashed or licked. Case of spared rod and spoilt child.Unparliamentary, orUNSCRIPTURAL, language, words unfit for use in ordinary conversation.Unutterables, orUNWHISPERABLES, trousers.SeeINEXPRESSIBLES.Up, “to beUPto a thing or two,” to be knowing, or understanding; “to put a manUPto a move,” to teach him a trick; “it’s allUPwith him,”i.e., it is all over with him; when pronounced U.P., naming the two letters separately, means settled, or doneUP. “Upa tree,”seeTREE. “Upto snuff,” wide awake, acquainted with the last new move; “UPto one’s gossip,” to be a match for one who is trying to take you in; “UPto slum,” proficient in roguery, capable of committing a theft successfully; “what’sUP?” what is the matter? what is the news?U.P., United Presbyterian Church of Scotland.Upper Benjamin, orBenjy, a great coat; originally “Joseph,” but, because of the preponderance of tailors namedBenjamin, altered in deference to them.Upper storey, orUPPER LOFT, a person’s head; “hisUPPER STOREYis unfurnished,”i.e., he does not know very much. “Wrong in hisUPPER STOREY,” crazy.SeeCHUMP.Uppish, proud, arrogant.Used up, broken-hearted, bankrupt, fatigued, vanquished.
Ugly, wicked, malicious, resentful.—American.
Ullages, the wine of all sorts left in the bottoms of glasses at a publicdinner. This is emptied into a measure, and drunk behind the screen or in any convenient place by the waiters, which accounts for their stony glare and fishy appearance late in the evening. Maybe fromLat.ULLUS, any.
Unbleached American, Yankee term, since the war, for coloured natives of the United States.
Uncle, the pawnbroker.SeeMY UNCLE.
Under a cloud, in difficulties. An evident reference to shady circumstances.
Under the rose.SeeROSE.
Understandings, the feet or boots. Men who wear exceptionally large or thick boots, are said to possess goodUNDERSTANDINGS.
Understudy, toSTUDYa part for the stage, not with the view of playing it at once, but so as to be ready in the event of anything happening to its present representative. Some actors of position, who suffer from delicate health, or mental weakness, have always other and inferior, but more robust, artistsUNDERSTUDYINGtheir parts.
Unfortunate, a modern euphuism for a prostitute, derived from Thomas Hood’s beautiful poem ofThe Bridge of Sighs:—“One moreUNFORTUNATE,Weary of breath,Rashly importunate,Gone to her death.”It is almost needless to remark that the poet had no intention of using the word in any but its widest and most general sense.
Unfortunate, a modern euphuism for a prostitute, derived from Thomas Hood’s beautiful poem ofThe Bridge of Sighs:—
“One moreUNFORTUNATE,Weary of breath,Rashly importunate,Gone to her death.”
“One moreUNFORTUNATE,Weary of breath,Rashly importunate,Gone to her death.”
It is almost needless to remark that the poet had no intention of using the word in any but its widest and most general sense.
Unicorn, a style of driving with two wheelers abreast and one leader—termed in the United States a “spike team.” “Tandem” is one wheeler and one leader. “Random,” three horses in line. “Manchester” means three horses abreast.SeeHARUM-SCARUM.
Unlicked, ill-trained, uncouth, rude, and rough; an “UNLICKEDcub” is a loutish youth who has never been taught manners; from the tradition that a bear’s cub, when brought into the world, has no shape or symmetry until its dam licks it into form with her tongue. Possibly said of a boy who has been petted,i.e., who has been insufficiently thrashed or licked. Case of spared rod and spoilt child.
Unparliamentary, orUNSCRIPTURAL, language, words unfit for use in ordinary conversation.
Unutterables, orUNWHISPERABLES, trousers.SeeINEXPRESSIBLES.
Up, “to beUPto a thing or two,” to be knowing, or understanding; “to put a manUPto a move,” to teach him a trick; “it’s allUPwith him,”i.e., it is all over with him; when pronounced U.P., naming the two letters separately, means settled, or doneUP. “Upa tree,”seeTREE. “Upto snuff,” wide awake, acquainted with the last new move; “UPto one’s gossip,” to be a match for one who is trying to take you in; “UPto slum,” proficient in roguery, capable of committing a theft successfully; “what’sUP?” what is the matter? what is the news?
U.P., United Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
Upper Benjamin, orBenjy, a great coat; originally “Joseph,” but, because of the preponderance of tailors namedBenjamin, altered in deference to them.
Upper storey, orUPPER LOFT, a person’s head; “hisUPPER STOREYis unfurnished,”i.e., he does not know very much. “Wrong in hisUPPER STOREY,” crazy.SeeCHUMP.
Uppish, proud, arrogant.
Used up, broken-hearted, bankrupt, fatigued, vanquished.