A Dictionary of Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words: Used at the Present Day in the Streets of London; the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; the Houses of Parliament; the Dens of St. Giles; and the Palaces of St. James.Hotten, John Camden
General
A Dictionary of Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words: Used at the Present Day in the Streets of London; the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; the Houses of Parliament; the Dens of St. Giles; and the Palaces of St. James.
Hotten, John Camden
Cambridge (England) -- Languages -- Dictionaries; Cant -- Dictionaries; Cant -- England -- London -- Dictionaries; English language -- Dialects -- England -- London -- Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.; English language -- England -- London -- Slang -- Dictionaries; London (England) -- Languages -- Dic
STUNNING, first-rate, very good. “STUNNING pears,” shouts the coster,
“only eight a penny.”—_Vide Athenæum_, 26th March, 1859. Sometimes
amplified to STUNNING JOE BANKS! when the expression is supposed to be
in its most intense form. JOE BANKS was a noted character in the last
generation. He was the proprietor of a public-house in Dyott-street,
Seven Dials, and afterwards, on the demolition of the Rookery, of
another in Cranbourne-alley. His houses became well-known from their
being the resort of the worst characters, at the same time that the
strictest decorum was always maintained in them. JOE BANKS also
acquired a remarkable notoriety by acting as a medium betwixt thieves
and their victims. Upon the proper payment to Joe, a watch or a snuff
box would at any time be restored to its lawful owner—“no questions in
any case being asked.” The most daring depredators in London placed the
fullest confidence in Joe, and it is believed (although the _Biographie
Universelle_ is quiet upon this point) that he never, in any instance,
“sold” them. He was of the middle height, stout, and strongly made, and
was always noted for a showy pin, and a remarkably STUNNING _neck-tie_.
It was this peculiarity in the costume of Mr. Banks, coupled with
those true and tried qualities as a friend, for which, as I have just
remarked, he was famous, that led his customers to proclaim him as
STUNNING JOE BANKS! The Marquis of Douro, Colonel Chatterley, and men
of their stamp, were accustomed to resort to a private room at his
house, when too late or too early to gain admittance to the clubs or
more aristocratic establishments.
STUNNED ON SKILLY, to be sent to prison and compelled to eat SKILLY, or
SKILLIGOLEE.
STURABAN, a prison. _Gipsey_, DISTARABIN.
SUCK, a parasite, flatterer of the “nobs.”—_University._
SUCK, to pump, or draw information from a person.
SUCK-CASSA, a public-house.
SUCK THE MONKEY, to rob a cask of liquor by inserting a straw through a
gimlet hole, and sucking a portion of the contents.
SUCK UP, “to SUCK UP to a person,” to insinuate oneself into his good
graces.
SUFFERER, a tailor.
SUIT, a watch and seals.
SULKY, a one-horse chaise, having only room for one person.
SUN IN THE EYES, to have too much drink.—_Dickens._
SUP, abbreviation of _supernumerary_.—_Theatrical._
SUPER, a watch; SUPER-SCREWING, stealing watches.
SURF, an actor who frequently pursues another calling.—_Theat._
SWADDLER, a Wesleyan Methodist; a name originally given to members of
that body by the Irish mob; said to have originated with an ignorant
Romanist, to whom the words of the English Bible were a novelty, and
who, hearing one of John Wesley’s preachers mention the _swaddling
clothes_ of the Holy Infant, in a sermon on Christmas-day at Dublin,
shouted out in derision, “_A swaddler! a swaddler!_” as if the whole
story were the preacher’s invention.—_Southey’s Life of Wesley_, vol.
ii., p. 109.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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