Argot and Slang. Albert Barrere
de Saint-Pierre, the scaffold, a play on the words “cinq-pierres,” the guillotine being erected on five flagstones in front of La Roquette; —— de sots bougres (obsolete), a prison; —— des s’offre à tous, house of ill-fame, or “nanny-shop.”
Abbesse, f. (popular), mistress of a house of ill-fame, “abbess.”
Abcès, m. (popular), the possessor of a bloated face.
Abélardiser, to mutilate a man as Chanoine Fulbert mutilated Abélard, the lover of his daughter or niece Héloïse. The operation is termed by horse-trainers “adding one to the list.”
Abéquer (popular), to feed. Literally to give a billful.
Abéqueuse, f. (popular), wet nurse; landlady of an hotel.
Abloquer, abloquir (thieves’), to buy; to acquire.
Abonné (familiar), être—— au guignon, to experience a run of ill-luck. Literally to be a subscriber to ill-luck.
Aborgner (popular), s’——, to scrutinize. Literally to make oneself blind of one eye by closing or “cocking” it.
Aboté (popular), clumsily adjusted or fitted, “wobbly.”
Aboulage, acré, m. (popular), plenty.
Aboulée (popular), in childbed, “in the straw.”
Aboulement, m. (popular), accouchement.
Abouler (popular), to be in childbed, “to be in the straw;” to give, to hand over, to “dub.”
Pègres et barbots aboulez des pépettes …
Aboulez tous des ronds ou des liquettes
Des vieux grimpants, bricheton ou arlequins.
Le Cri du Peuple, Feb., 1886.
To come, “to crop up.”
Et si tézig tient à sa boule,
Fonce ta largue, et qu’elle aboule
Sans limace nous cambrouser.
Richepin, La Chanson des Gueux.
Abour, m. (thieves’), sieve.
Aboyeur (popular), crier or salesman at public or private sales; man employed at the doors of puffing shops or theatrical booths to entice people in, “barker;” man who is constantly clamouring in words or writing against public men; man in a prison whose function it is to call prisoners.
Abracadabrant, adj. (familiar), marvellous, or “stunning.” From Abracadabra, a magic word used as a spell in the Middle Ages.
Abraqué, adj. (sailors’), tied; spliced.
Abreuvoir, m. (popular), drinking-shop, or “lush-crib;” —— à mouches, bleeding wound.
Abruti, m., a plodding student at the Ecole Polytechnique, termed a “swat” at the R. M. Academy; stolid and stupid man; —— de Chaillot, blockhead, or “cabbage-head.” Chaillot, in the suburbs of Paris, has repeatedly been made the butt for various uncomplimentary hits.
Abrutir (familiar), s’——, to plod at any kind of work. Literally to make oneself silly.
Abs, abbreviation of absinthe.
Absinthage, m. (familiar), the drinking or mixing of absinthe.
Absinthe, f. (familiar), faire son——, to mix absinthe with water. Absinthe à la hussarde is prepared by slowly pouring in the water; “l’amazone” is mixed in like manner, but with an adjunction of gum; “la panachée” is absinthe with a dash of gum or anisette; “la purée” is prepared by quickly pouring in the water. Faire son—— en parlant, to spit when talking. Heure de l’——, the hour when that beverage is discussed in the cafés, generally from four to six p.m. Avaler son——, see Avaler.
Absinthé, adj. (familiar), intoxicated on absinthe.
Absinther (familiar), s’——, to drink absinthe; to be a confirmed tippler of absinthe.
Absintheur, m. (familiar), a drinker of absinthe; one who makes it a practice of getting drunk on absinthe.
Absinthier, or absintheur, m., retailer of absinthe.
Absinthisme, m. (familiar), state of body and mind resulting from excessive drinking of absinthe.
Absorber (familiar), to eat and drink a great deal, to “guzzle.”
Absorption, f., annual ceremony at the Ecole Polytechnique, at the close of which the seniors, or “anciens,” are entertained by the newly-joined, termed “melons” (“snookers” at the Royal Military Academy).
Acabit, m. (popular), the person; the body; health; temper. Etre de bon——, to enjoy sound health. Un étrange——, an odd humour, or “strange kidney.”
Acacias, m., faire ses——, to walk or drive, according to the custom of fashionable Parisians, in the “Allée des Acacias” from the Porte-Maillot to La Concorde.
Acalifourchonner (popular), s’——, to get astride anything.
Accaparer (familiar), quelqu’un——, to monopolize a person.
Accent (thieves’), signal given by spitting.
Accentuer (popular), ses gestes——, to give a box on the ear; in other terms, “to warm the wax of one’s ear;” to give a blow, or “bang.”
Accessoires, m. pl. (theatrical), stage properties, or “props.” As a qualificative it is used disparagingly, thus, Viande d’——, vin d’——, are meat and wine of bad quality.
Accoerer (thieves’), to arrange.
Accolade (popular), smart box on the ear, “buckhorse.”
Accommoder (familiar), quelqu’un à la sauce piquante, to beat severely, “to double up;” to make one smart under irony or reproaches. Might be rendered by, to sit upon one with a vengeance; —— au beurre noir, to beat black and blue.
Accordéon, m. (popular), opera-hat.
Accoufler (popular), s’——, to squat. From the word couffles, cotton bales, which may be conveniently used as seats.
Accroche-cœurs (familiar). Properly small curl twisted on the temple, or “kiss-curl.” Cads apply that name to short, crooked whiskers.
Accrocher (popular), un paletot, to tell a falsehood, or “swack up;” —— un soldat, to confine a soldier to barracks, “to roost.” S’——, to come to blows, “to come to loggerheads.” (Familiar) Accrocher, to pawn, “to pop, to