Lexicon Balatronicum | Page 8

both the Old and New Testament.
BIDDY, or CHICK-A-BIDDY. A chicken, and figuratively a young
wench.
BIDET, commonly pronounced BIDDY. A kind of tub, contrived for
ladies to wash themselves, for which purpose they bestride it like a
French poney, or post-horse, called in French bidets.
BIENLY. Excellently. She wheedled so bienly; she coaxed or flattered
so cleverly. French.
BILL AT SIGHT. To pay a bill at sight; to be ready at all times for the
venereal act.
BILBOA. A sword. Bilboa in Spain was once famous for
well-tempered blades: these are quoted by Falstaff, where he describes
the manner in which he lay in the buck-basket. Bilboes, the stock;
prison. Cant.
TO BILK. To cheat. Let us bilk the rattling cove; let us cheat the
hackney coachman of his fare. Cant. Bilking a coachman, a box-keeper,
and a poor whore, were formerly, among men of the town, thought
gallant actions.
BILL OF SALE. A widow's weeds. See HOUSE TO LET.
BILLINGSGATE LANGUAGE. Foul language, or abuse. Billingsgate
is the market where the fishwomen assemble to purchase fish; and
where, in their dealings and disputes, they are somewhat apt to leave
decency and good manners a little on the left hand.
BING. To go. Cant. Bing avast; get you gone. Binged avast in a
darkmans; stole away in the night. Bing we to Rumeville: shall we go
to London?
BINGO. Brandy or other spirituous liquor. Cant.
BINGO BOY. A dram drinker. Cant.
BINGO MORT. A female dram drinker. Cant.
BINNACLE WORD. A fine or affected word, which sailors jeeringly
offer to chalk up on the binnacle.
BIRD AND BABY. The sign of the eagle and child.
BIRD-WITTED. Inconsiderate, thoughtless, easily imposed on.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER. Rogues of the same gang.
BIRTH-DAY SUIT. He was in his birth-day suit, that is, stark naked.

BISHOP. A mixture of wine and water, into which is put a roasted
orange. Also one of the largest of Mrs. Philips's purses, used to contain
the others.
BISHOPED, or TO BISHOP. A term used among horse-dealers, for
burning the mark into a horse's tooth, after he has lost it by age; by
bishoping, a horse is made to appear younger than he is. It is a common
saying of milk that is burnt too, that the bishop has set his foot in it.
Formerly, when a bishop passed through a village, all the inhabitants
ran out of their houses to solicit his blessing, even leaving their milk,
&c. on the fire, to take its chance: which, went burnt to, was said to be
bishoped.
TO BISHOP the balls, a term used among printers, to water them.
BIT. Money. He grappled the cull's bit; he seized the man's money. A
bit is also the smallest coin in Jamaica, equal to about sixpence sterling.
BITCH. A she dog, or doggess; the most offensive appellation that can
be given to an English woman, even more provoking than that of whore,
as may he gathered from the regular Billinsgate or St. Giles's
answer--"I may be a whore, but can't be a bitch."
TO BITCH. To yield, or give up an attempt through fear. To stand
bitch; to make tea, or do the honours of the tea- table, performing a
female part: bitch there standing for woman, species for genius.
BITCH BOOBY. A country wench. Military term.
BITE. A cheat; also a woman's privities. The cull wapt the mort's bite;
the fellow enjoyed the wench heartily. Cant.
TO BITE. To over-reach, or impose; also to steal.--Cant. --Biting was
once esteemed a kind of wit, similar to the humbug. An instance of it is
given in the Spectator: A man under sentence of death having sold his
body to a surgeon rather below the market price, on receiving the
money, cried, A bite! I am to be hanged in chains.--To bite the roger; to
steal a portmanteau. To bite the wiper, to steal a handkerchief. To bite
on the bridle; to be pinched or reduced to difficulties. Hark ye, friend,
whether do they bite in the collar or the cod-piece? Water wit to
anglers.
BITER. A wench whose **** is ready to bite her a-se; a lascivious,
rampant wench.
BLAB. A tell-tale, or one incapable of keeping a secret
BLACK AND WHITE. In writing. I have it in black and white; I have

written evidence.
BLACK ART. The art of picking a lock. Cant.
BLACK A-SE. A copper or kettle. The pot calls the kettle black a-se.
Cant.
BLACK BOOK. He is down in the black book, i.e. has a stain in his
character. A black book is keep in most regiments, wherein the names
of all persons sentenced to punishment are recorded.
BLACK BOX. A lawyer. Cant.
BLACK EYE. We gave the bottle a black eye, i.e. drank it almost up.
He cannot