Lexicon Balatronicum | Page 2

its editors will meet with the encouragement that is due to learning,
modesty, and virtue.

DICTIONARY OF THE VULGAR TONGUE.

ABBESS, or LADY ABBESS, A bawd, the mistress of a brothel.
ABEL-WACKETS. Blows given on the palm of the hand with a
twisted handkerchief, instead of a ferula; a jocular punishment among
seamen, who sometimes play at cards for wackets, the loser suffering as
many strokes as he has lost games.
ABIGAIL. A lady's waiting-maid.
ABRAM. Naked. CANT.
ABRAM COVE. A cant word among thieves, signifying a naked or
poor man; also a lusty, strong rogue.
ABRAM MEN. Pretended mad men.
TO SHAM ABRAM. To pretend sickness.
ACADEMY, or PUSHING SCHOOL. A brothel. The Floating
Academy; the lighters on board of which those persons are confined,
who by a late regulation are condemned to hard labour, instead of
transportation.--Campbell's Academy; the same, from a gentleman of
that name, who had the contract for victualling the hulks or lighters.
ACE OF SPADES. A widow.
ACCOUNTS. To cast up one's accounts; to vomit.
ACORN. You will ride a horse foaled by an acorn, i.e. the gallows,
called also the Wooden and Three-legged Mare. You will be
hanged.--See THREE-LEGGED MARE.
ACT OF PARLIAMENT. A military term for small beer, five pints of
which, by an act of parliament, a landlord was formerly obliged to give
to each soldier gratis.
ACTEON. A cuckold, from the horns planted on the head of Acteon by
Diana.
ACTIVE CITIZEN. A louse.
ADAM'S ALE. Water.
ADAM TILER. A pickpocket's associate, who receives the stolen
goods, and runs off with them. CANT.
ADDLE PATE. An inconsiderate foolish fellow.
ADDLE PLOT. A spoil-sport, a mar-all.
ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE, who carries his flag on the main-mast. A
landlord or publican wearing a blue apron, as was formerly the custom
among gentlemen of that vocation.
ADMIRAL OF THE NARROW SEAS. One who from drunkenness

vomits into the lap of the person sitting opposite to him. SEA
PHRASE.
ADRIFT. Loose, turned adrift, discharged. SEA PHRASE.
AEGROTAT, (CAMBRIDGE), A certificate from the apothecary that
you are INDISPOSED, (i. e.) to go to chapel. He sports an Aegrotat, he
is sick, and unable to attend Chapel. or Hall. It does not follow,
however, but that he can STRUM A PIECE, or sport a pair of oars.
AFFIDAVIT MEN. Knights of the post, or false witnesses, said to
attend Westminster Hall, and other courts of justice, ready to swear any
thing for hire.
AFTER-CLAP. A demand after the first given in has been discharged;
a charge for pretended omissions; in short, any thing disagreeable
happening after all consequences of the cause have been thought at an
end.
AGAINST THE GRAIN. Unwilling. It went much against the grain
with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.
AGOG, ALL-A-GOG. Anxious, eager, impatient: from the Italian
AGOGARE, to desire eagerly.
AGROUND. Stuck fast, stopped, at a loss, ruined; like a boat or vessel
aground.
AIR AND EXERCISE. He has had air and exercise, i.e. he has been
whipped at the cart's tail; or, as it is generally, though more vulgarly,
expressed, at the cart's a-se.
ALDERMAN. A roasted turkey garnished with sausages; the latter are
supposed to represent the gold chain worn by those magistrates.
ALDGATE. A draught on the pump at Aldgate; a bad bill of exchange,
drawn on persons who have no effects of the drawer.
ALE DRAPER. An alehouse keeper.
ALE POST. A may-pole.
ALL-A-MORT. Struck dumb, confounded. What, sweet one, all-a-mort?
SHAKESPEARE.
ALL HOLIDAY. It is all holiday at Peckham, or it is all holiday with
him; a saying signifying that it is all over with the business or person
spoken of or alluded to.
ALL HOLLOW. He was beat all hollow, i.e. he had no chance of
conquering: it was all hollow, or a hollow thing, it was a decided thing
from the beginning. See HOLLOW.

ALL NATIONS. A composition of all the different spirits sold in a
dram-shop, collected in a vessel into which the drainings of the bottles
and quartern pots are emptied.
ALLS. The five alls is a country sign, representing five human figures,
each having a motto under him. The first is a king in his regalia; his
motto, I govern all: the second, a bishop in pontificals; motto, I pray for
all: third, a lawyer in his gown; motto, I plead for all: fourth: a soldier
in his regimentals, fully accoutred; motto, I fight for all: fifth, a poor
countryman with his scythe and rake; motto, I pay for all.
ALTAMEL. A verbal or lump account, without particulars, such as is
commonly produced at bawdy-houses, spunging-houses, &c. Vide
DUTCH RECKONING.
ALTITUDES. The man is in his altitudes, i.e. he is drunk.
AMBASSADOR. A trick to duck some ignorant fellow or landsman,
frequently played on board