Bousineur (popular), an adept at creating a disturbance.
Bousingot, m. (popular) wine-shop, “lush-crib;” Republican or literary Bohemian in the earlier years of Louis Philippe.
Boussole, f. (familiar), head, brains. Perdre la——, to lose one’s head, “to be at sea;” to become mad. (Popular) Boussole de refroidi, or de singe, a Dutch cheese.
Boustifaille, f. (familiar), provisions, food, “grub.”
Boustifailler, to eat plentifully.
Bout, m. (tailors’), flanquer son——, to dismiss from one’s employment. (Military) Bout de cigare, short man; (popular) —— de cul, short person, or “forty foot;” —— d’homme, de femme, undersized person, or “hop o’ my thumb;” —— coupé, kind of cheap cigar with a clipped end.
Boutanche, f. (thieves’), shop, “chovey.” Courtaud de——, shopman, a “knight of the yard.”
Bouteille, f. (popular), nose, “boko.” Avoir un coup de——, to be tipsy. C’est la—— à l’encre is said of any mysterious, incomprehensible affair. (Printers’) Une—— à encre, a printing establishment, thus called on account of the difficulty of drawing up accurate accounts of authors’ corrections.
Bouterne, f. (popular), glazed case containing jewels exhibited as prizes for the winners at a game of dice. The game is played at fairs with eight dice, loaded of course.
Bouternier, m., bouternière, f., proprietor of a bouterne (which see).
Boutique, f., used disparagingly to denote one’s employer’s office; newspaper offices; disorderly house of business; clique. Esprit de——, synonymous of esprit de corps, but used disparagingly. Etre de la——, to be one of, to belong to a political clique or administration of any description. Montrer toute sa——, is said of a girl or woman who accidentally or otherwise exposes her person. Parler——, to talk shop.
Boutiquer (popular), to do anything with reluctance; to do it badly.
Boutiquier, m. (familiar), narrow-minded or mean man. Literally shopkeeper.
Boutogue, f. (thieves’), shop, or “chovey.”
Bouton, m. (thieves’), master key; (popular) twenty-franc piece; —— de guêtre, five-franc gold-piece; —— de pieu, bug, or “German duck.”
Boutonner (familiar), to touch with the foil; to annoy, to bore.
Bouture, f. (popular), de putain, low, insulting epithet, which may be rendered by the equally low one, son of a bitch. Bouture, slip of a plant.
Boxon, m. (popular), brothel, or “nanny-shop.”
Boyau, m. (popular), rouge, hard drinker, or “rare lapper.”
Boye, m. (thieves’), warder, or “bloke;” convict who performs the functions of executioner at the convict settlements of Cayenne or New Caledonia.
Brac, m. (thieves’), name, “monniker,” or “monarch.”
Braconner (gamesters’), to cheat, or “to bite.” Properly to poach.
Brader (popular), to sell articles dirt cheap.
Braillande, braillarde, f. (thieves’), drawers. From the old word braies, breeches.
Braillard, m. (popular), street singer, or “street pitcher.” According to the Slang Dictionary, the latter term applies to negro minstrels, ballad-singers, long-song men, men “working a board” on which has been painted various exciting scenes in some terrible drama, &c.
Braise, f. (popular), money, “loaver.” See Quibus.
J’ai pas d’braise pour me fend’ d’un litre,
Pas même d’un meulé cass’ à cinq.
Richepin.
Braiser (popular), to pay, “to dub.”
Braiseur (popular), man who is very free with his money.
Brancard (popular), superannuated gay woman.
Brancards, m. pl. (popular), hands, or “flappers;” legs, or “pins;” —— de laine, weak or lame legs.
Un poseur qui veut me la faire à la redresse, que ces deux flûtes repêchées par vous dans la lance du puits n’avaient jamais porté une femme, je me connais en brancards de dames, c’est pas ça du tout.—Macé, Mon Premier Crime.
Branche, f. (popular), friend, “mate.” Ma vieille——, old fellow! “old cock!” (Familiar) Avoir de la——, to have elegance, “dash.”
Brancher (thieves’ and cads’), to lodge, “to perch,” or “roost.”
Brandillante, brandilleuse, f. (thieves’), bell, or “ringer.”
Branlante, f. (popular), watch, or “ticker.”
Branlantes, f. pl. (popular), old men’s teeth.
Branque, m. (thieves’), donkey, “moke.”
Bras, brasse, adj. (thieves’), large. From brasse, a fathom.
Braser (thieves’), des faffes, to forge documents, to “screeve fakements;” to forge bank-notes, or to “fake queer-soft.”
Brasset, m. (thieves’), big, stout man.
Brave, m. (popular), shoemaker, or “snob.”
Bréchet, m. (popular), stomach.
Brèchetelles, f., a kind of German cakes eaten at beershops.
Breda-street, the quarter of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette patronized by women of the demi-monde (the Paris Pimlico, or St. John’s Wood).
Bredoche, f. (popular), centime.
Bredouille, f. (popular), chevalier de la——, one who goes out shooting on Sundays in the purlieus of Paris. From revenir bredouille, to return with an empty bag.
Breloque, f. (popular), a clock. Properly watch trinket.
Brème, m. and f. (popular), vendor of countermarks at the door of theatres. Une——, f. (thieves’), playing card, “flat,” or “broad” (brème is a flat fish, the bream). Une—— de pacquelins, geographical map. Maquiller les brèmes, to handle cards, to play at cards, “to fake broads;” to mark cards in certain ways, to construct them on a cheating principle,