Atouser (convicts’), to encourage, to urge, “to kid on.”
Atout, m. (thieves’ and popular), courage, or “wool;” self-possession; a blow, or “wipe;” stomach; money, or “rhino;” ability. Proper meaning trumps. Avoir de l’——, to have pluck, or “spunk;” to have a strong arm.
Tu m’as donné la bonne mesure, tu es un cadet qui a de l’atout.—E. Sue. (You gave me a good thrashing, you are a strong chap.)
Le plus d’——, a kind of swindling game played at low cafés.
Atout! (popular), exclamation to denote that a blow has taken effect.
Attache, f., love tie.
Attacher (thieves’), un bidon, to inform against one, “to blow the gaff.”
Attaches, f. pl., (thieves’), buckles; —— brillantes, diamond buckles; —— de gratousse, lace shirt-frill; —— de cés, breeches buckles.
J’ai fait suer un chêne,
Son auberg j’ai enganté.
Son auberg et sa toquante,
Et ses attach’s de cés.
V. Hugo, Le Dernier Jour d’un Condamné.
Attaque, d’——, resolutely, smartly. Un homme d’——, a resolute man, one who is game. Etre d’——, to show energy, resolution. Y aller d’——, to set about anything with a will, smartly, as if one meant business. (Popular) D’attaque, violent, severe.
V’lan! v’là l’vent qui m’fiche eun’claque.
Fait vraiment un froid d’attaque.
Richepin.
Attelage, m. (cavalry), un bon——, a couple of good friends.
Attendrir (familiar), s’——, to have reached that stage of intoxication when one is “maudlin.”
Attiger. See Atiger.
Attignoles, f. pl. (popular), tripe à la mode de Caen (tripe stewed with herbs and seasoning).
N’importe où nous nous empâtons,
D’arlequins, d’briffe et d’rogatons,
Que’qu’fois d’saucisse et d’attignoles.
Richepin.
Attrapage, m. (familiar and popular), severe scolding, sharp criticism, quarrel, fight, “mill;” (military) —— du premier numéro, serious duel.
Attrape (popular), à te rappeler, mind you remember!
Attraper (popular), to scold, “to jaw;” —— l’oignon, to receive a blow intended for another; to have to pay for others’ reckoning. S’——, to abuse, to “slang” one another. Se faire——, to get scolded, abused, “blown up.” Attraper le haricot, or la fève, to have to pay for others. An allusion to one who finds a bean in his share of the cake at the “fête des rois,” or Twelfth-night, and who, being proclaimed king, has to treat the other guests. (Journalists’) Attraper, to sharply criticise or run down a person or literary production; (theatrical) to hiss, or “goose;” (actors’) —— le lustre, to open wide one’s mouth; to make a fruitless attempt to give emission to a note.
Attrape-science, m., printer’s apprentice, or “devil.”
Attrapeur, m. (literary), a sharp or scurrilous critic.
Attrimer (thieves’), to take, to “nibble;” to seize, to “grab.”
Attriquer (thieves’), to buy; to buy stolen clothes.
Attriqueur, m., attriqueuse, f. (thieves’), receiver of stolen clothes, “fence.”
Auber, m., a sum of money, “pile.” A play on the word “haubert,” coat of mail, an assemblage of “mailles,” meaning “meshes” or “small change.” Compare the expression, Sans sou ni maille.
Aumône, f. (thieves’), voler à l’——, stealing from a jeweller, who is requested to exhibit small trinkets, some of which, being purloined, are transmitted to the hand of a confederate outside who pretends to ask for alms.
Aumônier, m. (thieves’), a thief who operates as described above.
Au prix où est le beurre (familiar), at the present rate of prices of things in general.
Aure, or haure (thieves’), le grand——, God.
Aüs, m. (shopmen’s), perplexed purchaser who leaves without buying anything.
Austo, m. (soldiers’), guard-room, cells, “Irish theatre,” “mill,” or “jigger.”
Autan, m. (thieves’), loft, attics (old word hautain, high).
Autel, (freemasons’), table at which the master sits; (popular) —— de besoin, prostitute, or “bed-fagot;” —— de plume, bed, “doss.”
Auteur, m. (familiar), father or mother, “governor,” or “mater;” —— beurrier, unsuccessful author whose works are sold as wrapping-paper for tradesmen.
Autor (familiar and popular), jouer d’——, to play cards without proposing. Travailler d’—— et d’achar, to work with energy.
Autor, d’—— (thieves’), in a peremptory manner; deliberately.
Dis donc, fourline, la première fois que nous trouverons la Pégriotte, faut l’emmener d’autor.—Eugène Sue.
Autre, adj. (popular), cet—— chien, that chap. Etre l’——, to be duped, or “bamboozled;” to be the lover; the mistress. L’—— côté, appellation given by Paris students to that part of the city situated on the right bank of the river. Femme de l’—— côté, woman residing in that part of Paris.
Auvergnat, m. (popular), avaler l’——, to take communion.
Auverpin, m. (popular), native of Auvergne. Appellation given to commissionnaires, charcoal-dealers, water-carriers, &c., who generally hail from Auvergne.
Et là seulement vous trouverez les bals-musette, les vrais, tenus par des Auverpins à la fois mastroquets et charbonniers, hantés par des Auverpins aussi, porteurs d’eau, commissionnaires, frotteurs, cochers.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Auverpinches, m. pl. (popular), clumsy shoes usually worn by Auvergnats.
Aux (popular), petits oignons, in first-rate style, excellently. Etre—— petits oiseaux, to be comfortable, snug.
Auxiliaire