Argot and Slang. Albert Barrere

Argot and Slang - Albert  Barrere


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canteen servant.

      Aides. See Aller.

      Aïe-aïe, m. (popular), omnibus.

      Aiguille, f. (military), à tricoter les côtes, sword, “toasting-fork;” (thieves’) key, or “screw;” card made to protrude from a pack for cheating, “old gentleman.”

      Aiguiller (card-sharpers’), la brème, to make a mark or notch on a card.

      Aile, f., aileron, m. (popular), arm, or “bender.”

      Aille, iergue, orgue, uche, suffixes used to disguise any word.

      Aille (familiar), fallait pas qu’y——, it is all his own fault, he has nobody to thank for it but himself.

      Aimant, m. (popular), faire de l’——, to make a fussy show of affected friendliness through interested motives.

      Aimer (popular), à crédit, to enjoy the gratuitous good graces of a kept woman. Aimer comme ses petits boyaux, to doat on one, “to love like the apple of one’s eye.”

      Air, m. (popular), se donner de l’——, se pousser de l’——, jouer la fille de l’——, to run away, to “cut and run.” See Patatrot.

      Airs, m. pl. (popular), être à plusieurs——, to be a hypocrite, double-faced person, “mawworm.”

      A la balade (popular), chanteurs——, itinerant singers, “chaunters.”

      A la barque, street cry of mussel costermongers.

      A la bonne (popular), prendre quelquechose chose——, to take anything good-humouredly. Avoir——, to love, to like.

      Je peste contre le quart d’œil de mon quartier qui ne m’a pas à la bonne.—Vidocq.

      A la carre (thieves’), dégringoler——, to steal from shops; kind of theft committed principally by women who pretend to be shopping; “shoplifting.”

      A la clef (familiar), an expletive. Trop de zèle——, too much zeal by half. From a musical term. The expression is used sometimes with no particular meaning, thus, Il y aura du champagne——, is equivalent to, Il y aura du champagne.

      A la corde (popular), logement——, low lodging-house, where the lodgers sleep with their heads on a rope, which is let down early in the morning. In some of these the lodgers leave all their clothes with the keeper, to ensure against their being stolen.

      A la coule (popular), être——, to be conversant with.

      S’il avait été au courant, à la coule, il aurait su que le premier truc du camelot, c’est de s’établir au cœur même de la foule.—Richepin.

      Etre——, to be happy; at one’s ease; comfortable. Je n’étais pas——, I felt very uncomfortable.

      A la flan, à la rencontre, or à la dure (thieves’), fabriquer un gas——, to attack and rob a person at night, “to jump a cove.”

      A la grive! (thieves’ and cads’), take care! “shoe leather!” Cribler——, to call out “police!” to “give hot beef.”

      Par contretemps ma largue,

      … …

      Pour gonfler ses valades,

      Encasque dans un rade,

      Sert des sigues à foison;

      On la crible à la grive,

      Je m’la donne et m’esquive,

      Elle est pommée maron.

      Mémoires de Vidocq.

      A la manque (thieves’), fafiots, or fafelards——, forged bank notes, “queer soft.” Avoir du pognon, or de la galette——, to be penniless. Etre——, not to be trustworthy; to betray.

      Pas un de nous ne sera pour le dab à la manque.—Balzac.

      A la papa (popular), quietly, slowly.

      A la petite bonne femme (popular), glisser——, to slide squatting on one’s heels.

      Alarmiste (thieves’), watch-dog, “tyke.”

      A-la-six-quatre-deux (popular), in disorder, “all at sixes and sevens;” anyhow, “helter-skelter.”

      A la sonde (cads’), être——, to be cunning, wide awake, “fly.”

      Va, la môm’, truque et n’fais pas four.

      Sois rien mariolle et à la sonde!

      Richepin, Chanson des Gueux.

      A la tienne Etienne! (popular), your health!

      A la va-te-faire-fiche, anyhow.

      Un béret nature, campé par une main paysanne, à la va te-faire-fiche, sans arrière-pensée de pittoresque.—Richepin, Le Pavé.

      Alènes, f. pl. (thieves’), tools, implements, “jilts.” Properly shoemakers’ awls.

      Alentoir, m., for alentour (thieves’), neighbourhood, vicinity.

      A l’esbrouffe (thieves’), faire un coup—— sur un pantre, to steal a pocket-book from a person who has been seen to enter a bank, or other financial establishment. The thief watches his opportunity in the neighbourhood of such establishments, and when operating keeps his hand concealed under an overcoat which he bears on his arm.

      Aligner (freemasons’), to lay the cloth. S’——, in soldiers’ language, to fight a duel with swords. The expression is used also by civilians.

      Alinéaliste, m. (literary), writer who is fond of short paragraphs.

      Allemand, m. (popular), peigne d’——, the four fingers.

      Aller (familiar), à Bougival, in literary men’s parlance, is to write a newspaper article of no interest for the general public; —— à la cour des aides is said of a married woman who has one or more lovers; —— au pot, to pick up dominoes from those which remain after the proper number has been distributed to the players; —— au safran, to spend freely one’s capital, an allusion to the colour of gold; —— en Belgique is said of a cashier who bolts with the cash-box, or of a financier who makes off with the money of his clients; —— se faire fiche, to go to the deuce; —— se faire foutre has the same meaning, but refers to a rather more forcible invitation yet; —— se faire lanlaire, to go to the deuce. Allez vous faire fiche, or foutre! go to the deuce, or “you be hanged!” Je lui ai dit d’—— se faire lanlaire, I sent him about his business. Aller son petit bonhomme de chemin, to do anything without any hurry, without heeding interruptions or hindrances. On avait beau lui crier d’arrêter, il allait toujours son petit bonhomme de chemin. (Familiar and popular) Y aller, to begin anything. Allons-y! let us begin! let us open the ball! now for business. Y aller de quelque chose, to contribute; to pay; to furnish.


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