1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar TongueGrose, Francis
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1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue
Grose, Francis
English language -- Slang -- Dictionaries
MUFF. The private parts of a woman. To the well wearing
of your muff, mort; to the happy consummation of
your marriage, girl; a health.
MUFFLING CHEAT. A napkin.
MUGGLETONIANS. The sect or disciples of Lodowick
Muggleton.
MULLIGRUBS. Sick of the mulligrubs with eating chopped
hay: low-spirited, having an imaginary sickness.
MUM. An interjection directing silence. Mum for that; I
shall be silent as to that. As mute as Mumchance, who
was hanged for saying nothing; a friendly reproach to any
one who seems low-spirited and silent.
MUMCHANCE. An ancient game like hazard, played with
dice: probably so named from the silence observed in playing
at it.
MUM GLASS. The monument erected on Fish-street Hill,
London, in memory of the great fire in 1666.
MUMBLE A SPARROW. A cruel sport practised at wakes
and fairs, in the following manner: A cock sparrow
whose wings are clipped, is put into the crown of a hat; a
man having his arms tied behind him, attempts to bite off
the sparrow's head, but is generally obliged to desist, by
the many pecks and pinches he receives from the enraged
bird.
MUMMER. The mouth.
MUMPERS. Originally beggars of the genteel kind, but
since used for beggars in general.
MUMPERS HALL. An alehouse where beggars are harboured.
MUNDUNGUS. Bad or rank tobacco: from mondongo, a
Spanish word signifying tripes, or the uncleaned entrails
of a beast, full of filth.
MUNG. To beg.
MUNS. The face, or rather the mouth: from the German
word MUND, the mouth. Toute his muns; look at his face.
MUNSTER PLUMS. Potatoes. IRISH.
MUNSTER HEIFER. An Irish woman. A woman with
thick legs is said to be like a Munster heifer; i.e. beef to
the heels.
MURDER. He looked like God's revenge against murder;
he looked angrily.
MURPHIES. Potatoes.
MUSHROOM. A person or family suddenly raised to riches
and eminence: an allusion to that fungus, which starts up
in a night.
MUSIC. The watch-word among highwaymen, signifying
the person is a friend, and must pass unmolested. Music
is also an Irish term, in tossing up, to express the harp side,
or reverse, of a farthing or halfpenny, opposed to the head.
MUTE. An undertaker's servant, who stands at the door of
a person lying in state: so named from being supposed
mute with grief.
MUTTON-HEADED. Stupid.
MUTTON MONGER. A man addicted to wenching.
MUTTON. In her mutton, i.e. having carnal knowledge of a
woman.
MUZZLE. A beard.
MUZZLER. A violent blow on the mouth. The milling
cove tipped the cull a muzzler; the boxer gave the fellow
a blow on the mouth.
MYNT. See MINT.
MYRMIDONS. The constable's assistants, watchmen, &c.
NAB, or NAB CHEAT. A hat. Penthouse nab; a large
hat.
To NAB. To seize, or catch unawares. To nab the teaze;
to be privately whipped. To nab the stoop; to stand in
the pillory. To nab the rust; a jockey term for a horse
that becomes restive. To nab the snow: to steal linen
left out to bleach or dry. CANT.
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