1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue Part 70

TO SHUFFLE. To make use of false pretences, or unfair shifts. A shuffling fellow; a slippery shifting fellow.

SHY c.o.c.k. One who keeps within doors for fear of bailiffs.

SICE. Sixpence.

SICK AS A HORSE. Horses are said to be extremely sick at their stomachs, from being unable to relieve themselves by vomiting. Bracken, indeed, in his Farriery, gives an instance of that evacuation being procured, but by a means which he says would make the Devil vomit. Such as may have occasion to administer an emetic either to the animal or the fiend, may consult his book for the recipe.

SIDE POCKET. He has as much need of a wife as a dog of a side pocket; said of a weak old debilitated man. He wants it as much as a dog does a side pocket; a simile used for one who desires any thing by no means necessary.

SIDLEDYWRY. Crooked.

SIGN OF A HOUSE TO LET. A widow's weeds.

SIGN OF THE: FIVE SHILLINGS. The crown.

TEN SHILLINGS. The two crowns.

FIFTEEN SHILLINGS. The three crowns.

SILENCE. To silence a man; to knock him down, or stun him. Silence in the court, the cat is p.i.s.sing; a gird upon any one requiring silence unnecessarily.

SILENT FLUTE. See PEGO, SUGAR STICK, &c.

SILK s.n.a.t.c.hERS. Thieves who s.n.a.t.c.h hoods or bonnets from persons walking in the streets.

SILVER LACED. Replete with lice. The cove's kickseys are silver laced: the fellow's breeches are covered with lice.

SIMEONITES, (at Cambridge,) the followers of the Rev.

Charles Simeon, fellow of King's College, author of Skeletons of Sermons, and preacher at Trinity church; they are in fact rank methodists.

SIMKIN. A foolish fellow.

SIMON. Sixpence. Simple Simon: a natural, a silly fellow; Simon Suck-egg, sold his wife for an addle duck-egg.

TO SIMPER. To smile: to simper like a firmity kettle.

SIMPLETON. Abbreviation of simple Tony or Anthony, a foolish fellow.

SIMPLES. Physical herbs; also follies. He must go to Battersea, to be cut for the simples--Battersea is a place famous for its garden grounds, some of which were formerly appropriated to the growing of simples for apothecaries, who at a certain season used to go down to select their stock for the ensuing year, at which time the gardeners were said to cut their simples; whence it became a popular joke to advise young people to go to Battersea, at that time, to have their simples cut, or to be cut for the simples.

TO SING. To call out; the coves sing out beef; they call out stop thief.

TO SING SMALL. To be humbled, confounded, or abashed, to have little or nothing to say for one's-self.

SINGLE PEEPER. A person having but one eye.

SINGLETON. A very foolish fellow; also a particular kind of nails.

SINGLETON. A corkscrew, made by a famous cutler of that name, who lived in a place called h.e.l.l, in Dublin; his screws are remarkable for their excellent temper.

SIR JOHN. The old t.i.tle for a country parson: as Sir John of Wrotham, mentioned by Shakespeare.

SIR JOHN BARLEYCORN. Strong beer.

SIR LOIN. The sur, or upper loin.

SIR REVERENCE. Human excrement, a t--d.

SIR TIMOTHY. One who, from a desire of being the head of the company, pays the reckoning, or, as the term is, stands squire. See SQUIRE.

SITTING BREECHES. One who stays late in company, is said to have his sitting breeches on, or that he will sit longer than a hen.

SIX AND EIGHT-PENCE. An attorney, whose fee on several occasions is fixed at that sum.

SIX AND TIPS. Whisky and small beer. IRISH.

SIXES AND SEVENS. Left at sixes and sevens: i.e. in confusion; commonly said of a room where the furniture, &c. is scattered about; or of a business left unsettled.

SIZE OF ALE. Half a pint. Size of bread and cheese; a certain quant.i.ty. Sizings: Cambridge term for the college allowance from the b.u.t.tery, called at Oxford battles.

To SIZE. (CAMBRIDGE) To sup at one's own expence. If a MAN asks you to SUP, he treats you; if to SIZE, you pay for what you eat--liquors ONLY being provided by the inviter.

SIZAR (Cambridge). Formerly students who came to the University for purposes of study and emolument.

But at present they are just as gay and dissipated as their fellow collegians. About fifty years ago they were on a footing with the servitors at Oxford, but by the exertions of the present Bishop of Llandaff, who was himself a sizar, they were absolved from all marks of inferiority or of degradation. The chief difference at present between them and the pensioners, consists in the less amount of their college fees. The saving thus made induces many extravagant fellows to become sizars, that they may have more money to lavish on their dogs, pieces, &c.

SKEW. A cup, or beggar's wooden dish.

SKEWVOW, or ALL ASKEW. Crooked, inclining to one side.

SKIN. In a bad skin; out of temper, in an ill humour.

Thin-skinned: touchy, peevish.

SKIN. A purse. Frisk the skin of the stephen; empty the money out of the purse. Queer skin; an empty purse.

SKIN FLINT. An avaricious man or woman,

SKINK. To skink, is to wait on the company, ring the bell, stir the fire, and snuff the candles; the duty of the youngest officer in the military mess. See BOOTS.

SKINS. A tanner.

SKIP JACKS. Youngsters that ride horses on sale, horse-dealers boys. Also a plaything made for children with the breast bone of a goose.

SKIP KENNEL. A footman.

SKIPPER. A barn. CANT.--Also the captain of a Dutch vessel.

TO SKIT. To wheedle. CANT.

SKIT. A joke. A satirical hint.

SKRIP. See SCRIP.