Arsouille, m. (familiar), a man foul in language, a low cad, a “rank outsider.” The expression has passed into the language. Milor l’——, a rich man with eccentric, low tastes. The appellation was first given to Lord Seymour.
Arsouiller (popular), synonymous of engueuler, to “jaw,” to “slang.”
Arthur, m., a would-be lady-killer; also synonymous of Amant de cœur, which see.
Arthurine, f. (popular), a girl of indifferent character, a “Poll.”
Artichaut, m. (popular), cœur d’——, fickle-hearted.
. … Cœur d’artichaut,
C’est mon genre: un’ feuille pour tout l’monde,
Au jour d’aujourd’hui, j’gobe la blonde;
Après-d’main, c’est la brun’, qu’i m’faut.
Gill.
Artiche, m. (thieves’), retirer l’——, to pick the pockets of a drunkard.
Article, m. (familiar), faire l’——, to puff up, “to crack up.” (Printers’) Payer son—— quatre, to pay for one’s footing. An allusion to some item of a code of regulations. (Popular) Porté sur l’——, one of an amatory disposition.
Articlier, m., one whose spécialité is writing newspaper articles.
Artie, artif, artiffe, lartie, larton, m. (thieves’), bread; —— de Meulan, white bread; —— du gros Guillaume, brown bread; —— de guinaut, mouldy bread.
Ecoutez marques et mions,
J’aime la croûte de parfond,
J’aime l’artie, j’aime la crie,
J’aime la croûte de parfond.
Chanson de l’Argot.
Artilleur (popular), drunkard; one skilful in working the “canon,” or glass of wine at wine-shops; —— à genoux, or de la pièce humide, a military hospital orderly; —— à l’aiguille, tailor; —— de la pièce humide, a fireman; also, one who is voiding urine, or “lagging.”
Artis, m. (thieves’), langage de l’——, cant, or “flash.”
Artiste, m. (popular), veterinary surgeon, “vet;” spendthrift leading a careless life; sweeper; comrade, or “pal.”
Arton. See Artie.
Artoupan, m. (thieves’), guard or warder at a penal servitude depôt, or “screw.”
Art royal (freemasons’), freemasonry.
As, m. (popular), être à l’——, to be short of cash, “hard up;” at a restaurant or café, to be at table, or in private room No. 1. Un—— de carreau, soldier’s knapsack, thus called from its shape; a town adjutant, an allusion to the red facings of his uniform. (Thieves’) As de carreau, the ribbon of the Legion of Honour, which is red. (Familiar) Fichu comme l’—— de pique, with a clumsily built form, badly dressed. As de pique meant formerly a man of no consequence, of no intellectual worth.
Asinver (thieves’), to make stupid.
Asperge montée, f. (popular), very tall, lanky person; “sky-scraper,” or “lamp-post.”
Asphalte, m. (familiar), polir l’——, to lounge on the Boulevards.
Asphyxié, adj. (popular), dead-drunk, or “sewed-up.”
Asphyxier (popular), to drink; —— le perroquet, to drink a glass of absinthe, green, like a parrot; —— un pierrot, to drink a glass of white wine. Pierrot, a pantomimic character, with face painted white, and costume to match.
Aspic, m. (popular), a slanderer, an allusion to “aspic,” a viper; (thieves’) a miser, or “hunks.”
Aspiquerie, f. (popular), calumny.
Asseoir (popular), s’——, to fall. Envoyer quelqu’un s’——, to throw one down, to silence, get rid of one. Allez vous——, shut up, go to “pot” (an allusion to the customary intimation of the judge to a witness whose examination is concluded). S’—— sur le bouchon, to sit on mother earth. S’—— sur quelqu’un, to silence one, sit upon him. S’—— sur quelquechose, to attach but slight importance to a thing.
Assesseur (gamesters’), player.
Asseyez-vous dessus et qu’ ça finisse! (familiar), silence him! sit upon him!
Assiette, f. (popular), avoir l’—— au beurre, to be lucky, fortunate in life.
Assis, m. (literary), clerks, or “quill drivers.”
Oh! c’est alors qu’il faut plaindre … les malheureux qu’un travail sédentaire courbe sur un bureau … c’est alors qu’il convient de se lamenter sur le sort des assis.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Assister (thieves’), to bring victuals to a prisoner from outside.
Associée, f. (printers’), mon——, my wife, my “old woman.”
Assommoir, m. (familiar), name of a wine-shop at Belleville, and which is now common to all low drinking-shops. From assommer, to knock over the head.
Astec, m. (familiar), stunted and weakly person, or “barber’s cat;” (literary) a weak, despicable adversary. An allusion to the Mexican dwarfs.
Astic, m. (thieves’), steel, sword, or “poker” (from the German stich); (soldiers’) a mixture of pipe-clay for the furbishing of the brass fixtures of equipment. Aller à l’——, to clean one’s equipment.
Asticot, m. (popular), vermicelli; mistress of a bully or thief, “mollisher;” —— de cercueil, glass of beer (a play on the words “ver” and “bière,” asticot being a flesh-worm).
Astiquage or astique, m. (military), cleaning the equipments.
Astiquer (popular), to beat, or “to towel;” to tease. Literally to clean, to furbish. S’——, to have angry words, as a prelude to a set to; to fight. Literally to make oneself neat, or “smug.”
As-tu fini, or as-tu fini tes manières! words implying that a person’s endeavours to convince or to deceive another have failed. The expression corresponds in some degree to “Walker!” “No go!” “What next?”
A table (thieves’), se mettre——, or, casser du sucre, to confess a crime.
Atelier