1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue Part 78

TAG-RAG AND BOBTAIL. An expression meaning an a.s.semblage of low people, the mobility of all sorts. To tag after one like a tantony pig: to follow one wherever one goes, just as St. Anthony is followed by his pig.

TAIL. A prost.i.tute. Also, a sword.

TAKEN IN. Imposed on, cheated.

TALE TELLERS. Persons said to have been formerly hired to tell wonderful stories of giants and fairies, to lull their hearers to sleep. Talesman; the author of a story or report: I'll tell you my tale, and my talesman. Tale bearers; mischief makers, incendiaries in families.

TALL BOY. A bottle, or two-quart pot.

TALLY MEN. Brokers that let out clothes to the women of the town. See RABBIT SUCKERS.

TALLYWAGS, or TARRYWAGS. A man's t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es.

TAME. To run tame about a house; to live familiarly in a family with which one is upon a visit. Tame army; the city trained bands.

TANDEM. A two-wheeled chaise, buggy, or noddy, drawn by two horses, one before the other: that is, AT LENGTH.

TANGIER. A room in Newgate, where debtors were confined, hence called Tangerines.

TANNER. A sixpence. The kiddey tipped the rattling cove a tanner for luck; the lad gave the coachman sixpence for drink.

TANTADLIN TART. A sirreverence, human excrement.

TANTRUMS. Pet, or pa.s.sion: madam was in her tantrums.

TANTWIVY. Away they went tantwivy; away they went full speed. Tantwivy was the sound of the hunting horn in full cry, or that of a post horn.

TAP. A gentle blow. A tap on the shoulder;-an-arrest.

To tap a girl; to be the first seducer: in allusion to a beer barrel. To tap a guinea; to get it changed.

TAPPERS. Shoulder tappers: bailiffs.

TAPE. Red tape; brandy. Blue or white tape; gin.

TAPLASH. Thick and bad beer.

TAR. Don't lose a sheep for a halfpennyworth of tar: tar is used to mark sheep. A jack tar; a sailor.

TARADIDDLE. A fib, or falsity.

TARPAWLIN. A coa.r.s.e cloth tarred over: also, figuratively, a sailor.

TARRING AND FEATHERING. A punishment lately infliced by the good people of Boston on any person convicted, or suspected, of loyalty: such delinquents being "stripped naked", were daubed all over wilh tar, and afterwards put into a hogshead of feathers.

TART. Sour, sharp, quick, pert.

TARTAR. To catch a Tartar; to attack one of superior strength or abilities. This saying originated from a story of an Irish-soldier in the Imperial service, who, in a battle against the Turks, called out to his comrade that he had caught a Tartar. 'Bring him along then,' said he. 'He won't come,' answered Paddy. 'Then come along yourself,'

replied his comrade. 'Arrah,' cried he, 'but he won't let me.'--A Tartar is also an adept at any feat, or game: he is quite a Tartar at cricket, or billiards.

TAT. t.i.t for tat; an equivalent.

TATS. False dice.

TATLER. A watch. To flash a tatler: to wear a watch.

TAT MONGER. One that uses false dice.

TATTERDEMALION. A ragged fellow, whose clothes hang all in tatters.

TATTOO. A beat of the drum, of signal for soldiers to go to their quarters, and a direction to the sutlers to close the tap, anddtew nomore liquor for them; it is generally beat at nine in summer and eight in winter. The devil's tattoo; beating with one's foot against the ground, as done by persons in low spirits.

TAW. A schoolboy's game, played with small round b.a.l.l.s made of stone dust, catted marbles. I'll be one upon your taw presently; a species of threat.

TAWDRY. Garish, gawdy, with lace or staring and discordant colours: a term said to be derived from the shrine and altar of St. Audrey (an Isle of Ely saintess), which for finery exceeded all others thereabouts, so as to become proverbial; whence any fine dressed man or woman said to be all St Audrey, and by contraction, all tawdry.

TAWED. Beaten,

TAYLE. See TAIL.

TAYLE DRAWERS. Thieves who s.n.a.t.c.h gentlemens swords from their sides. He drew the cull's tayle rumly; he s.n.a.t.c.hed away the gentleman's sword cleverly.

TAYLOR. Nine taylors make a man; an ancient and common saying, originating from the effeminacy of their employment; or, as some have it, from nine taylors having been robbed by one man; according to others, from the speech of a woollendraper, meaning that the custom of nine, taylors would make or enrich one man--A London taylor, rated to furnish half a man to the Trained Bands, asking how that could possibly be done? was answered, By sending four, journeymen and and apprentice.--Puta taylor, a weaver, and a miller into a sack, shake them well, And the first that, puts out his head is certainly a thief.--A taylor is frequently styled p.r.i.c.klouse, a.s.saults on those vermin with their needles.

TAYLORS GOOSE. An iron with which, when heated, press down the seams of clothes.

TEA VOIDER. A chamber pot.

TEA GUELAND. Ireland. Teaguelanders; Irishmen.

TEARS OF THE TANKARD. The drippings of liquor on a man's waistcoat.

TEDDY MY G.o.dSON. An address to a supposed simple fellow, or nysey,

TEIZE. To-nap the teize; to receive a whipping. CANT.

TEMPLE PICKLING. Pumping a bailiff; a punishment formerly administered to any of that fraternity caught exercising their functions within the limits of Temple.

TEN TOES. See BAYARD OF TEN TOES.

TEN IN THE HUNDRED. An usurer; more than five in the hundred being deemed usurious interest.

TENANT AT WILL, One whose wife usually fetches him from the alehouse.

TENANT FOR LIFE. A married man; i.e. possessed of a woman for life.

TENDER PARNELL. A tender creature, fearful of the least puff of wind or drop of rain. As tender as Parnell, who broke her finger in a posset drink.

TERMAGANT. An outrageous scold from Termagantes, a cruel Pagan, formerly represented in diners shows and entertainments, where being dressed a la Turque, in long clothes, he was mistaken for a furious woman.