Slang and Cant (A-L) in the Toll Gate

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The Toll - Gate
Georgette Heyer

The Toll-Gate is full of Cant. If you can fill in any blanks, please email me: tricia@iaccess.com.au

Cant = Prob. from Old North French canter to tell, literally, to sing, from Latin cantare
1567 - to speak in cant or jargon

A - L

Page	Term	Definition
87	a beautiful stepper	1835 - one (as a fast horse or a dancer) that steps
169	a capital go
160	a fit of the dismals
154	a little on the squat	short?
77	a paid bravo	Italian, from bravo brave – 1597 - a hired assassin
146	a pelt
85	a piece of work
159	a rare set-out
194	a rare tweak
148	a shove in the mouth
86	a wisty one	hit
131	above my touch
237	acumen	Latin acumin-, acumen, literally, point, from acuere - circa 1580 - keenness and depth of perception, discernment, or discrimination especially in practical matters
169	addle-brained
7	aide-de-camp	French aide de camp, literally, camp assistant - 1670 - a military aid
166	ain’t caught napping
167	ale-blown	drunk
198	ale-draper	inn-keeper
198	all at sea
103	all bowman	all right
99	all rug	all right? taken care of?
176	ames-ace
188	Angola cloth
13	aping the dandy-set	1780 - a man who gives exaggerated attention to personal appearance; probably short for jack-a-dandy
270	argle-bargle	argument
187	arms and legs	alcoholic beverages
193	as blue as megrim	Middle English migreime, from Middle French migraine - 14th century - plural low spirits
192	as dizzy as a goose
189	as fine as fivepence
149	as fly a cove as ever tapped a shy one on the shoulder
28	as good as ever twanged	praise of no mean order
115	as good take a bear by the tooth
135	as sure as check
215	at home to a peg
166	back-words
136	bacon-fed crony
107	bag o’ moonshine	story
93	baggage	probably modification of Middle French bagasse, from Old Provençal bagassa – 1594 – a contemptible woman; a young woman
107	baggage-man
101	bagman	1765 - a person who on behalf of another collects or distributes illicitly gained money
21	bait	to give food and drink to (an animal) especially on the road
134	baked, but not backed yet
165	ball o’fire	brandy
87	bam me
92	bamboozling	1703 - to deceive by underhanded methods; dupe; hoodwink
29	Banbury story	lies
103	bang-up	1810 – first-rate; excellent <a bang–up job>
147	bang-up bit of blood and bone	exceptional horse
103	bantling	perhaps modification of German Bänkling bastard, from Bank bench, from Old High German - 593 - a very young child
179	barkers	guns
115	barking-iron	gun
63	barouche	German Barutsche, from Italian biroccio, ultimately from Late Latin birotus two-wheeled, from Latin bi- + rota wheel 1801 - a four-wheeled carriage with a driver's seat high in front, two double seats inside facing each other, and a folding top over the back seat
132	barque of frailty	mistress
233	Bartholomew baby
206	Batman	servant to an Officer
156	bear a bob
166	beat it on the hoof	walk
190	beautiful steppers	superior horses
251	Bedlam
179	beetle-head
252	before the cat could lick her ear
135	beforehand with the world	sufficient money
86	bellows to mend
107	beside the cushion
148	betwattled
226	Bingo-club boys
224	bird-witted
106	Bit o’ balsam
16	bivouacking	camping
272	blab	Middle English blabbe; akin to Middle English blaberen - 14th century idle or excessive talk - chatter
191	bleater	to talk complainingly or with a whine
86	blister me
109	blood	Middle English, from Old English blOd; akin to Old High German bluot blood - before 12th century - a showy, foppish man; rake
118	blood of the Fancy
82	blow a cloud	have a smoke
125	blowing	puffing?
158	blubber-headed
110	blue-devilled	depressed
249	blunt	money
17	bobbery	Hindi bAp re, literally, oh father - 1803 - confusion; turmoil
127	bobbish
187	body	beer
221	bogeys	a source of fear, perplexity, or harassment
109	boman prig	Boman??? 1676 – fop; one who offends or irritates by observance of proprieties (as of speech or manners) in a pointed manner or to an obnoxious degree
118	bone-setters
230	boned the fence	discovered where the treasure is hidden
146	boned me	discovered
88	booked	dead
126	boozing-ken	public house
106	borde	shilling
103	bottle-head
175	bottom	courage
112	bouncers	lies
124	bovine	Late Latin bovinus, from Latin bov-, bos ox, cow – 1817 - of, relating to, or resembling bovines and especially the ox or cow; having qualities (as placidity or dullness) characteristic of oxen or cows
17	brace o' snaps
14	brag	card game
108	brats	children
249	Breaking shins	borrowing from friends?
217	bride-clothes	trousseau
146	bridle-cull	highwayman
106	bridle-lay	highroad robbery
233	brown as a berry
190	bruising riders
103	brush	Middle English bruschen to rush, from Middle French brosser to dash through underbrush, from broce - 1674 - to move lightly or heedlessly
165	bub	beverage
60	bubble	Middle Englih bobel - 14th century - a delusive scheme
199	bubbled him	discovered the truth
95	buck of the first head	Middle English, from Old English bucca stag, he-goat; akin to Old High German boc he-goat, Middle Irish bocc - before 12th century - a dashing fellow; dandy
118	bucolic	country
25	buffer	innkeeper
29	bugbear	1581 - a continuing source of irritation
234	bullfinched
26	bumper	1676 - a brimming cup or glass
125	burnt to the socket
250	by hedge or by stile
269	By Hooky
175	By Jupiter!
24	cackling-cheats	hens
34	cagged	angry
139	cajolery	French cajoler – 1645 - to persuade with flattery or gentle urging especially in the face of reluctance
38	cant	Prob. from Old North French canter to tell, literally, to sing, from Latin cantare 1567 - to speak in cant or jargon
107	Canterbury tale	lie
161	Captain Hackums
136	Captain Sharp	card-sharp
176	Carlton House to a Charley’s shelter
132	carried his wine well	hard head
187	case where I rack up
102	cassino	card game
157	cast up his accounts	vomited
132	castaway	drunk
171	cat-fashion
159	cat was in the cream-pot
232	catspaw	circa 1769 - [from the fable of the monkey that used a cat's paw to draw chestnuts from the fire] one used by another as a tool; dupe
107	catch cold
100	cawker
113	chaffer	to bandy words; chatter.
13	chaise	French chair, chaise, alteration of Old French chaiere - 1701 - any of various light horse-drawn vehicles; a two-wheeled carriage for one or two persons with a folding top
56	chit of a wench	Middle English chitte kitten, cub - circa 1624 - a pert young woman Middle English wenche, short for wenchel child, from Old English. wencel; akin to Old High German wankOn to totter, waver and probably to Old High German winchan to stagger - 14th century - a young woman
157	chive	knife
235	choice spirit
100	chouse	perhaps from Turkish çavus doorkeeper, messenger – 1708 – cheat; trick
13	christened with pump-water
275	chubs
163	cigarillo	Spanish cigarrillo cigarette, diminutive of cigarro cigar – 1832 - a very small cigar; a cigarette wrapped in tobacco rather than paper
125	claret	blood
226	cleaned out
216	clever in the saddle
267	clinkers	hand-cuffs
234	clipping rider
189	clodpole	1601 - blockhead
150	clunch
158	coachwheel	crown
63	cob	Middle English cobbe leader - 15th century - a stocky short-legged riding horse
141	cockatrice	mythical
161	cocking up my toes	dying
163	cold meat	dead
115	combed my hair with a joint-stool
227	come about
166	come crab over me
147	coming it too strong
54	commoner	falling below ordinary standards; lacking refinement
199	complete hand
120	complete to a shade
231	Conductor	Bow Street Runner sent on special cases
190	confirmed limpers	inferior horses
190	confraternity	Middle English confraternite, from Middle French confraternité, from Medieval Latin confraternitat-, confraternitas, from confrater fellow, brother, from Latin com- + frater brother - 15th century - fraternal union
209	Coo	1670 - to make the low soft cry of a dove or pigeon or a similar sound
171	coped and dashed
188	corbeau-cloth
235	Corinthian	1526 - a native or resident of Corinth, Greece; a merry profligate man
48	counter-coxcomb
235	country bumpkins	1570 - an awkward and unsophisticated rustic
276	court-card
142	court-cupboard
159	covey
147	cow-hearted	cowardly
120	coxcomb	Middle English cokkes comb, literally, cock's comb - 1573 - a conceited foolish person or fop
138	cozening	perhaps from obsolete Italian cozzonare, from Italian cozzone horse trader, from Latin cocion-, cocio trader – 1573 - to deceive, win over, or induce to do something by artful coaxing and wheedling or shrewd trickery
227	crack-brained	circa 1570 - an erratic person; crack-pot
207	cracksman	circa 1812 – burglar, safecracker
196	cravat	French cravate, from Crabate, Cravate Croatian - circa 1656 - a band or scarf worn around the neck; necktie
160	crop-sick
215	crotchet	Middle English crochet, from Middle French -- 14th century - a highly individual and usually eccentric opinion or preference
217	cry off	jilt
106	cry rope	inform on someone
97	cubbing	catching the fox
108	cull	man
100	cully	fellow; companion
243	cup-shot	drunk
63	curricle	Latin curriculum running, chariot, from currere - 1752 - a 2-wheeled chaise usually drawn by two horses
165	curst rum touch
176	cut-line
55	cut of your jib	appearance; style
206	cut-throat	1535 – killer; murderer;a cruel unprincipled person; 1567 - marked by unprincipled practices - ruthless
92	cut up your peace
143	cutter-rigged
38	cutting a sham	lying
32	cutting no wheedle	not willing to ingratiate self with someone by lying
132	Cyprian	prostitute
171	daisy-cutter
106	danged	Euphemism – 1797 - damned
93	darken daylights	give a black-eye
97	dashing chipper
271	death’s head on a mopstick
125	dessay	daresay
95	deuced	1782 – damned, confounded <in a deuced fix>
234	devil of a fellow
182	dibs	short for dibstones (jacks), from obsolete dib (to dab) – 1812 - slang money especially in small amounts
106	dibs in tune
105	dicked in the nob	crazy
182	diddles	cheats
274	didn’t kick up no nasty dust
115	dimber mort
150	ding-boy
156	ding on the cannister	hit on the head
26	dip-candles
131	dipped rather too deep	drank too much
106	dished-up	broke?
216	distempered freaks	Middle English distempren, from Late Latin distemperare to temper badly, from Latin dis- + temperare to temper - 14th century to throw out of order; archaic: derange 1563 - a sudden and odd or seemingly pointless idea or turn of the mind; a seemingly capricious action or event
202	doing it rather too brown
108	double-finnup	£10 [pounds]
268	don’t beat all to shivers
273	don’t beat the Dutch
78	don’t eat me
86	dotard	14th century - a person in his or her dotage; a senile person
233	down-the-road
147	down to every move on the board
100	downy one	clever
6	Dragoon	A name given to mounted soldiers, said to have originated from the French 'Dragon' or short musket used by them and so called because of the shape of the cocking piece - AW
93	draw corks	give a blood-nose
221	driven to an inch
55	drown in the River Tick	1537 - time given for payment for goods or services sold on trust <long-term credit>
13	drunk as an artillery-man
100	dry-boots
103	dub your mummer	be quiet
106	dub-lay
104	dubbed the jigger
55	Dun Territory	circa 1626 - to make persistent demands upon for payment -1628 - one who duns; an urgent request; especially a demand for payment From Joe Dunn a Baliff from the town of Lincoln who was so good and assiduous at his work collecting money owed. People were advised to 'dun' their debtors to regain what was owed - LB
235	dupe	French, from Middle French duppe, probably alteration of huppe hoopoe - 1681 - one that is easily deceived or cheated : fool
273	dust	money
199	Dutch comfort
75	ear-wigged at Tattersall’s
75	encroaching fancies	Middle English encrochen to get, seize, from Middle French encrochier, from Old French, from en- + croc, croche hook - circa 1534 - to enter by gradual steps or by stealth into the possessions or rights of another; to advance beyond the usual or proper limits Middle English fantasie, fantsy fantasy, fancy, from Middle French fantasie, from Latin phantasia, from Greek, appearance, imagination, from phantazein to present to the mind (middle voice, to imagine), from phainein to show; akin to Old English gebOned polished, Greek phOs light - 15th century - a liking formed by caprice rather than reason : inclination; amorous fondness : love; notion, whim
137	encroaching ways	to advance beyond the usual or proper limits
91	even hands	Proper use of the hands is a vital factor in good horsemanship. Because any heavy-handedness may injure and eventually spoil the sensitivity of the horse's mouth, light but steady hands on the reins are of utmost importance.
190	expert dragsmen
269	fagged	tired
230	fair and far off
164	fair cags me
115	fall back, fall edge
157	famble	hand
13	faro-bank	probably alteration of earlier pharaoh, translation of F. pharaon - circa 1735 - a gambling game in which players bet on cards drawn from a dealing box
247	felon	Middle English, from Middle French felon, fel evildoer, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German fillen to beat, whip, fel skin - 13th century - one who has committed a felony; archaic : villain
107	fence	Middle English fens, short for defens defense - 14th century - a receiver of stolen goods; a place where stolen goods are bought
53	fetch	circa 1530 - trick, stratagem – Middle English trik, from Old North French trique, from trikier to deceive, cheat, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin triccare, alteration of Latin tricari to behave evasively, shuffle, from tricae complications, trifles; a crafty procedure or practice meant to deceive or defraud; a mischievous act
151	fidgets	irregular from fidge - 1674 – uneasiness or restlessness as shown by nervous movements - usually used in plural
49	finical	1592 - alteration of finicking; circa 1825 - extremely or excessively nice, exacting, or meticulous in taste or standards
16	finify him
179	flabbergasted	1772 - to overwhelm with shock, surprise, or wonder; dumbfound
147	flammed by such gammon as that	1789 - to talk gammon; pretend, feign; deceive, fool
30	flash cove	gaudy or vulgar showiness Brit. Slang. a person; fellow [1560–70; said to be < Romany kova creature]
187	flash kens	hide-outs?
149	flash shap	hat
147	flat
115	flesh and blood	port with gin
181	flimsies	1857 - chiefly British : a lightweight paper used especially for multiple copies; also : a document printed on flimsy
217	flummery	Welsh llymru – 1623 - mummery
148	fling
226	flush in the pocket
85	flying into a miff	1623 - a fit of ill humor
18	free-trading	smuggling
91	fribble	1664 - a frivolous person, thing, or idea
86	Friday-face
16	frieze cloak	Middle English frise, from Middle French, from Middle Dutch vriese - 15th century - a heavy durable coarse wool and shoddy fabric with a rough surface; a pile surface of uncut loops or of patterned cut and uncut loops
22	frippence	thrippence = three pence
96	fob him off	1597 - to put off with a trick, excuse, or inferior substitute; to pass or offer (something spurious) as genuine
39	fobs and seals	perhaps akin to German dialect Fuppe pocket - 1653 - a short strap, ribbon, or chain attached especially to a pocket watch; an ornament attached to a fob chain Middle English seel, from Old French, from Latin sigillum seal, from diminutive of signum sign, seal - 13^th century - a device with a cut or raised emblem, symbol, or word used especially to certify a signature or authenticate a document; a medallion or ring face bearing such a device incised so that it can be impressed on wax or moist clay
192	foot-pads	robbers
158	foot-scamperers	thieves
184	foundered	Middle English foundren to send to the bottom, collapse, from Middle French fondrer, ultimately from Latin fundus - 14th century - come to grief
27	fuddlecap
167	full o’ bounce
267	full of mettle
198	fun and gig
204	funning	joking
272	gabbing	talking
233	gabster
108	gager
135	gamester	gambler
234	gaming-clubs
107	gammon	fool
191	gapeseed
179	gelt	Dutch & German geld & Yiddish gelt; all akin to Old English geld ²geld - circa 1529 - money
108	get	off-spring
112	get wind of it	hear
56	gets on her high ropes	on the ropes = in a defensive and often helpless position
252	gibed cat
87	ginger
85	give a fig
229	give over
269	glim	lantern
220	glum	akin to Middle English gloumen to gloom – 1547 - broodingly morose; dreary; gloomy
95	go along like winking
165	go bail
268	go stow your whids and plant them
106	go up the ladder to bed
120	go well upon wind	hang
269	goes against the shins
106	goblins	money
104	God save the mark
75	Goes
27	gone on the mop
53	gone on the spree	1804 - an unrestrained indulgence in or outburst of an activity especially binge, carousal
65	good whip	14^th century - one that handles a whip: a driver of horses
127	goosecap
237	gooseish
31	gorn to roost	died
271	goshswoggled
36	granfer	grand-father
113	grease in the fist	pay; bribe
139	Greeking fellow	card-sharp
106	green ‘un	Middle English grene, from Old English grEne; akin to Old English grOwan to grow - before 12th century - immature in age or judgment; untrained; inexperienced: green recruits; simple; unsophisticated; naive
100	greenhead
106	grig	a farthing
106	groat	Middle English groot, from Middle Dutch - 14th century - an old British coin worth four pennies
110	gudgeon	a person easily imposed on
	guinea	Guinea, Africa, supposed source of the gold from which it was made 1664 - an English gold coin issued from 1663 to 1813 and fixed in 1717 at 21 shillings, equal to one pound and one shilling
233	gull-catcher
246	gull-gropers
138	gulled	deceived
150	guv’nor
31	hag-ridden	1702 - tormented
100	half of a fiddle
108	halfling	child
117	half-bred	1701 - having one purebred parent
65	handles the ribbons	Middle English riban, from Middle French riban, ruban - 14^th century - plural reins for controlling an animal
189	handy with my fives
137	hang-gallows
31	hang in the hedge
190	hangers-on
107	happy as a grig	Middle English grege – 1566 - a lively lighthearted usually small or young person
283	harebrained fetch
115	haul my wind
134	have the gloves off	not stand on ceremony
112	havey-cavey	suspicious
270	hearing-cheats	ears
109	hedge-bird
6	heir-presumptive	circa 1737 - an heir whose legal right to an inheritance may be defeated (as by the birth of a nearer relative)
176	Hell and the devil confound it
226	hell-born babe
189	hempseed
205	hen-hearted weasel	cowardly
17	hench-man	M.E. henshman, hengestman groom, from hengest stallion (from O.E.) + man; akin to Old High German hengist gelding - 15^th century - obsolete a squire or page to a person of high rank; a trusted follower; a right-hand man
115	high in the flesh	horses big enough for riders of 17 stone
134	high-flight
125	high-ropes
51	high-sticklers	1644 - one who insists on exactness or completeness in the observance of something
213	High Toby
161	hipped	hip (hypochondria) - circa 1710 - depressed
37	hoaxing	probably contraction of hocus - 1796 - to trick into believing or accepting as genuine something false and often preposterous
234	hob-nobs
37	hobbledehoy	1540 - an awkward gawky youth
108	hog-grubber
179	hold-up	robbery
157	hopped the twig	died
230	Horse Guards
234	horses of the right stamp
136	hoyden	perhaps from obs Dutch heiden country lout, from Middle Dutch, heathen; akin to Old English h[AE]then heathen – 1676 - a girl or woman of saucy, boisterous, or carefree behavior
31	huckaback towel	1690 - an absorbent durable fabric of cotton, linen, or both used chiefly for towels
118	humbug	lies
97	humbug country
92	humdudgeoned	puzzled?
111	I’ll cap downright	swear to it?
115	I’ll stand buff
34	in a tweak	angry
56	in the heyday of blood	1590 - archaic high spirits; the period of one's greatest strength, vigor, or prosperity
190	incurable millers	inferior horses
221	inklings	Middle English yngkiling whisper, mention, probably from inclen to hint at; akin to Old English inca suspicion – 1513 - a slight indication or suggestion; a slight knowledge or vague notion
269	Jack-Sauce
27	jobbernoll
165	keep me chaffer close	keeps his mouth shut
144	keep my horses well together
105	ken	place
56	kicking up a lark	1811 - something done solely for fun or adventure probably alteration of lake to frolic 1813 - to engage in harmless fun or mischief
166	kick-up
205	King’s Evidence
139	knavery	1528 - a roguish or mischievous act; obsolete : roguish mischief
100	knock-in-the-cradle
59	knocked acock	1846 - being in a cocked position Middle English knoken, from Old English cnocian; akin to Middle High German knochen to press - before 12^th century - to collide with something
230	knocking up a lark
122	laudanum	opiate
105	lay	1590 - line of work
154	leather-head
219	leathers
40	leery cove	1718 - suspicious, wary Brit. Slang. a person; fellow [1560–70; said to be < Romany kova creature]
233	leg
19	leveller	1598 - something that tends to reduce or eliminate differences among individuals
136	libertine	rake
125	lief	13th century - gladly
110	light frigate	loose woman
167	light-skirt
84	lingo	probably from Lingua Franca, language, tongue, from Provençal, from Latin lingua - 1660 - strange or incomprehensible language or speech; a foreign language; the special vocabulary of a particular field of interest
167	listeners	ears
108	lock	fence?
19	Lombard Street to a China orange
84	Long Meg
14	loo	short for obsolete English lanterloo, from French lanturelu twaddle -1675 - a card game in which the winner of each trick or a majority of tricks takes a portion of the pool while losing players are obligated to contribute to the next pool
192	looks like a strained hair in a can
75	loose fish	fellow
135	loose-screw
157	loosed off	shot
159	loosed off with his pop	shot off his gun
31	loped	1825 - to move or ride at a lope
156	Lord love you
228	Lucullan repast	Latin lucullanus of Licinius Lucullus; from his reputation for luxurious banquets – 1861 – lavish, luxurious Middle English, from Middle French, from Old French, from repaistre to feed, from re- + paistre to feed, from Latin pascere - 14th century - something taken as food; meal; the act or time of taking food; feast
102	lurching	winning in cassino
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