BLACK FLY. The greatest drawback on the farmer is the black fly, i.e. the parson who takes tithe of the harvest. BLACK GUARD. A shabby, mean fellow; a term said to be derived from a number of dirty, tattered roguish boys, who attended at the Horse Guards, and Parade in St. James's Park, to black the boots and shoes of the soldiers, or to do any other dirty offices. These, from their constant attendance about the time of guard mounting, were nick-named the black-guards. BLACK JACK. A nick name given to the Recorder by the Thieves. BLACK JACK. A jug to drink out of, made of jacked leather. BLACK JOKE. A popular tune to a song, having for the burden, "Her black joke and belly so white:" figuratively the black joke signifies the monosyllable. See MONOSYLLABLE. BLACK INDIES. Newcastle upon Tyne, whose rich coal mines prove an Indies to the proprietors. BLACKLEGS. A gambler or sharper on the turf or in the cockpit: so called, perhaps, from their appearing generally in boots; or else from game-cocks whose legs are always black. BLACK MONDAY. The first Monday after the school-boys holidays, or breaking up, when they are to go to school, and produce or repeat the tasks set them. BLACK PSALM. To sing the black psalm; to cry: a saying used to children. BLACK SPICE RACKET. To rob chimney sweepers of their soot, bag and soot. BLACK SPY. The Devil. BLACK STRAP. Bene Carlo wine; also port. A task of labour imposed on soldiers at Gibraltar, as a punishment for small offences. BLANK. To look blank; to appear disappointed or confounded. BLANKET HORNPIPE. The amorous congress. BLARNEY. He has licked the blarney stone; he deals in the wonderful, or tips us the traveller. The blarney stone is a triangular stone on the very top of an ancient castle of that name in the county of Cork in Ireland, extremely difficult of access; so that to have ascended to it, was considered as a proof of perseverance, courage, and agility, whereof many are supposed to claim the honour, who never atchieved the adventure: and to tip the blarney, is figuratively used telling a marvellous story, or falsity; and also sometimes to express flattery. Irish. A BLASTED FELLOW or BRIMSTONE. An abandoned rogue or prostitute. Cant. To BLAST. To curse. BLATER. A calf. Cant. BLEACHED MORT. A fair-complexioned wench. BLEATERS. Those cheated by Jack in a box. CANT.--See JACK IN A BOX. BLEATING CHEAT. A sheep. Cant. BLEATING RIG. Sheep stealing. Cant. BLEEDERS. Spurs. He clapped his bleeders to his prad; be put spurs to his horse. BLEEDING CULLY. One who parts easily with his money, or bleeds freely. BLEEDING NEW. A metaphor borrowed from fish, which will not bleed when stale. BLESSING. A small quantity over and above the measure, usually given by hucksters dealing in peas, beans, and other vegetables. BLIND. A feint, pretence, or shift. BLIND CHEEKS. The breech. Buss blind cheeks; kiss mine a-se.