Azor, m. (popular), dog; (military) knapsack, or “scran-bag” (an allusion to the hairy covering of soldiers’ knapsacks). Etre à cheval sur——, to shoulder the knapsack. Tenir—— en laisse is said of a discharged soldier who on leaving the barracks, with a view to showing that “Azor” is no longer his master, drags him ignominiously along the ground attached to a strap. (Theatrical) Appeler, or siffler——, to hiss, or “to goose.”
Qu’est-ce que c’est? Est-ce qu’on appelle Azor?—Musée Philipon.
B
Baba, adj. (popular), dumb-founded, abashed, “blue,” or “flabbergasted.” From ébahi, astounded.
Babillard, m. (thieves’), confessor; book; newspaper. Griffonneur de——, journalist. It also means a petition.
Ma largue part pour Versailles,
Aux pieds d’sa Majesté,
Elle lui fonce un babillard
Pour m’faire défourailler.
V. Hugo, Dernier Jour d’un Condamné.
Babillarde, f. (thieves’), watch, or “jerry;” letter, “screeve,” or “stiff.”
Babillaudier, m. (thieves’), bookseller.
Babille, f. See Babillarde.
Babiller (thieves’), to read. Properly to prattle, to chatter.
Babines, f. pl. (popular), mouth, “muzzle.” S’en donner par les——, to eat voraciously, “to scorf.” S’en lécher les——, to enjoy in imagination any kind of pleasure, past or in store.
Babouine, f. (popular), mouth, “rattle-trap,” “kisser,” “dubber,” or “maw.” See Plomb.
Babouiner (popular), to eat.
Bac, for baccarat or baccalauréat.
Ce serait bien le diable s’il parvenait à organiser de petits bacs à la raffinerie.—Vast-Ricouard, Le Tripot.
Bacchantes (thieves’), the beard; but more especially the whiskers. From a play on the word bâche, an awning, covering.
Baccon, m. (thieves’), pig, or “sow’s baby;” pork, or “sawney.”
Bachasse, f. (thieves’), hard labour; convict settlement.
Bâche, f. (thieves’ and cads’), cap, or “tile;” stakes; bed, or “doss.” Se mettre dans la——, to go to bed. Bâche, properly a cart tilt or an awning.
Bachelière, f., female associate of students at the Quartier Latin, the headquarters of the University of France. Herein are situated the Sorbonne, Collège de France, Ecole de Médecine, Ecole de Droit, &c.
Bâcher, pagnotter, or percher (thieves’ and popular). Se——, to go to bed.
Bachot, m. (students’), baccalauréat, or examination for the degree of bachelor of arts or science conferred by the University of France. Etre——, to be a bachelor. Faire son——, to read for that examination.
Bachotier, m. (students’), tutor who prepares candidates for the baccalauréat, a “coach,” or a “crammer.”
Bachotter (sharpers’), to swindle at billiards.
Bachotteur, m. (sharpers’), a confederate of blacklegs at a four game of billiards. The “bachotteur” arranges the game, holds the stakes, &c., pretending meanwhile to be much interested in the victim, or “pigeon.” His associates are “l’emporteur,” or “buttoner,” whose functions consist in entering into conversation with the intended victim and enticing him into playing, and “la bête,” who feigns to be a loser at the outset, so as to encourage the pigeon.
Bâcler, boucler (thieves’), to shut, to arrest. Bâclez la lourde! shut the door! “dub the jigger.” (Popular) Bâcler, to put, to place. Bâclez-vous là! place yourself there!
Bacreuse, f. (popular), pocket. From creuse, deep.
Badaudière, f., the tribe of badauds, people whose interest is awakened by the most trifling events or things, and who stop to gape wonderingly at such events or things.
Parmi tous les badauds de la grande badaudière parisienne, qui est le pays du monde où l’on en trouve le plus, parmi tous les flâneurs, gâcheurs de temps … bayeurs aux grues.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Badigeon, m. (popular), painting of the face; paint for the face, “slap.” Se coller du——, to paint one’s face, “to stick on slap.”
Badigeonner, la femme au puits, to lie, “to cram.” An allusion to Truth supposed to dwell in a well. Se——, to paint one’s face.
Badigoinces, f. pl. (popular), lips, mouth, “maw.” Jouer des——, or se caler les——, to eat, “to grub.” S’en coller par les——, to have a good fill, “to stodge.” See Mastiquer.
Badinguiste, badingâteux, badingouin, badingueusard, badingouinard, terms of contempt applied to Bonapartists. “Badinguet,” nickname of Napoleon III., was the name of a mason who lent him his clothes, and whose character he assumed to effect his escape from Fort Ham, in which he was confined for conspiracy and rebellion against the government of King Louis Philippe.
Badouillard, m., badouillarde, f. (popular), male and female habitués of low fancy balls.
Badouille, f. (popular), henpecked husband, or “stangey;” fool, or “duffer.”
Badouiller (popular), to frequent low public balls; to wander about without a settled purpose, “to scamander;” to have drinking revels, “to go on the booze.”
Badouillerie, f. (popular), dissipated mode of living.
Baffre, f. (popular), a blow in the face with the fist, a “bang in the mug.”
Bafouiller, (popular), to jabber; to splutter; to sputter.
Bafouilleur, bafouilleux, m., bafouilleuse, f., one who sputters.
Bagniole,