Bagou, bagoût, m. (familiar), (has passed into the language), facility of speech (used disparagingly). Quel—— mes amis! well, he is the one to talk! Avoir un fier——, to have plenty of jaw.
On se laissa bientôt aller à la joie ravivée sans cesse au bagout du vieux, qui n’avait jamais été aussi bavard.—Richepin, La Glu.
(Thieves’) Bagou, name, “monniker,” “monarch.”
Bagoulard, m. (popular), a very talkative man, a “clack-box,” or “mouth-all-mighty.” C’est un fameux——, “He’s the bloke to slam.”
Bagouler (popular and thieves’), to prattle, to do the “Poll Parrot;” to give one’s name, or “dub one’s monniker.”
Bague, f. (thieves’), name, “monniker,” “monarch.”
Baguenaude (thieves’ and cads’), pocket, “cly,” “sky-rocket,” or “brigh;” —— à sec, empty pocket; —— ronflante, pocket full of money. Faire la retourne des baguenaudes, to rob drunkards who go to sleep on benches.
… Une bande de filous, vauriens ayant travaillé les baguenaudes dans la foule.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Baguenots, m. pl. (popular), faire les——, to pick pockets, “to fake a cly.”
Baguettes, f. pl. Properly rods, or drum-sticks. (Military) Avaler ses——, to die. (Familiar) Baguettes de tambour, thin legs, spindle-shanks; lank hair.
Bahut, m. (popular), furniture, “marbles.” Properly large dresser, or press; (cadets’) —— spécial, the military school of Saint-Cyr; (students’) —— paternel, paternal house. Bahut, a crammer’s establishment; college, or boarding-school.
Eux, les pauvres petits galériens, ils continuent à vivre entre les murs lépreux du bahut.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Bahuté (Saint-Cyr cadets’), ceci est——, that is smart, soldier-like. Une tenue bahutée, smart dress or appearance.
Bahuter (Saint-Cyr cadets’), to create a disturbance, “to kick up a row;” (schoolboys’) to go from one educational establishment to another.
Bahuteur, m., one fond of a “row;” unruly scholar; pupil who patronizes, willingly or not, different educational establishments.
Baigne-dans-le-beurre (popular), womens’ bully, or “pensioner.” An allusion to “maquereau,” or mackerel, a common appellation for such creatures. See Poisson.
Baigneuse, f. (thieves’ and cads’), head, or “block,” “canister,” “nut.” See Tronche.
Baignoire à bon Dieu, f. (cads’), chalice.
Bailler au tableau (theatrical), to have an insignificant part in a new play.
Terme de coulisses qui s’applique à un acteur, qui voit au tableau la mise en répétition d’une pièce dans laquelle il n’a qu’un bout de rôle.—A. Bouchard, La Langue théâtrale.
Baimbain (Breton cant), potatoes.
Bain de pied (familiar), the overflow into the saucer from a cup of coffee or glass of brandy; third help of brandy after coffee, those preceding being “la rincette” and “la surrincette.”
Bain-Marie, m. (popular), a person with a mild, namby-pamby disposition allied to a weakly constitution, a “sappy” fellow.
Bain qui chauffe, m. (popular), a rain cloud in hot weather.
Baiser (popular), la camarde, to die, “to kick the bucket,” “to snuff it;” (gamesters’) —— le cul de la vieille, not to score, to remain at “love.”
Baissier, m., man on ’Change who speculates for a fall in the funds, “bear.” See Haussier.
Baite, f. (thieves’), house, “crib.”
Bajaf, m. (popular), a stout, plethoric man. Gros——, “forty guts.”
Bajoter (popular), to chatter, “to gabble.”
Bal, m. (military), extra drill (called a “hoxter” at the Royal Military Academy).
Baladage, balladage, m. (popular), chanteur au——, street singer, “street pitcher.”
Balade, ballade, f. (popular and familiar), walk, stroll, lounge, “miking.” Canot de——, pleasure boat. Faire une——, se payer une——, to take a walk. Chanteur à la——, itinerant singer, “chaunter.” (Thieves’) Balade, or ballade, pocket; also called “fouillouse, profonde, valade,” and by English rogues, “sky-rocket, cly, or brigh.”
Balader (thieves’), to choose; to seek. (Popular) Se——, to take a walk; to stroll; “to mike;” to make off; to run away, “to cut one’s lucky.” See Patatrot.
Baladeur, m. (popular), one who takes a walk.
Baladeuse, f. (popular), woman with no heart for work and who is fond of idly strolling about.
Balai, m. (hawkers’), police officer, or gendarme, “crusher;” (military) —— à plumes, plumes of shako. (Popular) Balai, the last ’bus or tramcar at night. Donner du—— à quelqu’un, to drive one away.
Balancement, m. (clerks’), dismissal, “the sack.”
Balancer (popular), to throw at a distance; —— quelqu’un, to dismiss from one’s employment, “to give the sack;” to get rid of one; to make fun of one; to hoax, “to bamboozle;” (thieves’) —— la rouscaillante, to speak, or “to rap;” —— sa canne is said of a vagrant who takes to thieving, of a convict who makes his escape, or of a ticket-of-leave man who breaks bounds; —— sa largue, to get rid of one’s mistress, “to bury a Moll;” —— ses alènes, to turn honest; to forsake the burglar’s implements for the murderer’s knife; —— ses chasses, to gaze about, “to stag;” —— son chiffon rouge, to talk, “to wag one’s red rag;” —— une lazagne, to send a letter, “screeve,” or “stiff.”
Balanceur, m. (thieves’), de braise, money changer. An allusion to the practice of weighing money.
Balancier, m. (popular), faire le——, to wait for one.
Balançoir, balançon, m. (thieves’), window-bar.
Balançoire, f. (familiar), fib, “flam;” nonsense; stupid joke. Envoyer à la——, to get rid of one, to invite one to make himself scarce, or to send one to the deuce.
Balançon, m. (thieves’), iron hammer; window-bar.