CROISANT, _m._ (popular), _waistcoat_, or “benjy.” CROISSANT, _m._ (popular), loger rue du ----, _to be an injured husband_. An allusion to the horns. CROIX, _f._ (popular), _six-franc piece_. An allusion to the cross which certain coins formerly bore. According to Eugène Sue the old clothes men in the Temple used the following denominations for coins: pistoles, ten francs; croix, six francs; la demi-croix, three francs; le point, one franc; le demi-point, half-a-franc; le rond, half-penny. Croix de Dieu, _alphabet_, on account of the cross at the beginning. CRÔME, or CROUME, _m._ (thieves’ and tramps’), _credit_, “jawbone,” or “day.” CROMPER (thieves’), _to save_; _to run away_, “to guy.” See PATATROT. Cromper sa sorbonne, _to save one’s head_. CROMPIR, _potato_. From the German grundbirne. CRÔNE, _f._ (thieves’), _wooden platter_. CRÔNÉE, _f._ (thieves’), _platter full_. CROQUAILLON, _m._ (popular), _bad sketch_. CROQUE. See CRIQUE. CROQUEMITAINES, _m. pl._ (military), _soldiers who are sent to the punishment companies in Africa for having wilfully maimed themselves in order to escape military service_. CROQUENEAU, _m._ (popular), _new shoe_; ---- verneau, _patent leather shoe_. CROQUET (popular), _irritable man_. CROSSE, _f._ (thieves’), _receiver of stolen goods_, or “fence;” _public prosecutor_. CROSSER (thieves’), _to receive stolen goods_; _to strike the hour_. Quand douze plombes crossent, Les pègres s’en retournent, Au tapis de Montron. =VIDOCQ.= CROSSEUR, _m._ (thieves’), _bell-ringer_. CROSSIN. See CROSSE. CROTAL, _m._, _student of the Ecole Polytechnique holding the rank of sergeant_. CROTTARD, _m._ (popular), _foot pavement_. CROTTE D’ERMITE, _f._ (thieves’), _baked pear_. CROTTIN, _m._ (military), sergent de ----, _non-commissioned officer at the cavalry school of Saumur_. Thus termed because he is often in the stables. CROUMIER (horse-dealers’), _broker or agent of questionable honesty, or one who is_ “wanted” _by the police_. CROUPIONNER (popular), _to twist one’s loins about so as to cause one’s dress to bulge out_. CROUPIR (popular), dans le battant _is said of undigested food, which inconveniences one_. CROUSTILLE, _f._ (popular), casser un brin de ----, _to have a snack_. CROUSTILLER (popular), _to eat_, “to grub.” See MASTIQUER. CROÛTE, _f._ (popular), s’embêter comme une ---- de pain derrière une malle, _to feel desperately dull_. CROÛTEUM, _m._ (familiar), _collection of_ “croûtes,” _or worthless pictures_. CROÛTON, _m._ (artists’), _painter devoid of any talent_. CROÛTONNER (artists’), _to paint worthless pictures, daubs_. CROYEZ (popular), ça et buvez de l’eau, _expression used to deride credulous people_. Literally _believe that and drink water_. CRU (artists’), faire ----, see FAIRE. CRUCIFIER (familiar), _to grant one the decoration of the Legion of Honour_. The expression is meant to be jocular.