Caïman, m. (Ecole Normale school), usher.
Caisse, f. (popular), d’épargne, mouth, or “rattle-trap;” (familiar) —— des reptiles, fund for the bribing of journalists; —— noire, secret funds at the disposal of the Home Secretary and Prefect of Police. Battre la——, to puff up. Sauver la——, to appropriate or abscond with the contents of the cash-box.
Caisson, m. (familiar), head, “nut.” Se faire sauter le——, to blow one’s brains out.
Calabre, m. (thieves’), scurf.
Calain, m. (thieves’), vine-dresser.
Calancher (vagrants’), to die, “to croak.” See Pipe.
Calande (thieves’), walk, lounge.
Calandriner (popular), le sable, to live a wretched, poverty-stricken life.
Cale, f. (sailors’), se lester la——, to eat and drink. See Mastiquer.
Calé, calée, adj., properly propped up; (popular) well off, “with plenty of the needful.”
Calebasse, f. (popular), head, or “cocoa-nut.” Grande——, tall, thin, badly attired woman. Vendre la——, to reveal a secret.
Calebasses, f. (popular), large soft breasts. Literally gourds.
Calège, f. (thieves’), kept woman.
Calence, f. (popular), dearth of work.
Caler (popular), to do; to do nothing; to be out of work, or “out of collar;” to strike work; —— l’école, to play the truant. Se——, to eat. Se—— les amygdales, to eat, “to grub.” (Thieves’) Caler des boulins aux lourdes, to bore holes in doors.
Caleter (popular), to decamp, “to hook it.” See Patatrot.
Caleur (popular), lazy workman, or “shicer;” man out of work; butler; waiter (from the German kellner).
Calfater (sailors’), se—— le bec, to eat. Literally to caulk.
Caliborgne. See Calorgne.
Calicot, m. (familiar), draper’s assistant, or “counter jumper.”
Calicote, sweetheart, or “flame,” of a “knight of the yard.”
Californien (popular), rich, “worth a lot of tin.” See Monacos.
Câlin, m., small tin fountain which the retailers of coco carry on their backs. Coco is a cooling draught made of liquorice, lemon, and water.
Calino, m. (familiar), ninny; one capable of the most enormous “bulls.”
Calinotade, f., sayings of a calino (which see).
Calinttes, f. (popular), breeches, or “hams,” or “sit-upons.”
Callot, m. (thieves’), scurvy.
Callots, m. pl. (old cant), variety of tramps.
Les callots sont ceux qui sont teigneux véritables ou contrefaits; les uns et les autres truchent tant aux entiffes que dans les vergnes.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.
Calme et inodore (familiar), être——, to assume a decorous appearance. Soyez——, behave yourself with decorum; do not be flurried.
Calombe. See Cabande.
Caloquet, m. (thieves’), hat; crown. See Tubard.
Calorgne, adj. (popular), one-eyed, “boss-eyed,” or “seven-sided.”
Calot, m. (thieves’), thimble; walnut shell; eye. Properly large marble. Boiter des calots, to squint. Reluquer des calots, to gaze, “to stag.”
J’ai un chouett’ moure,
La bouch’ plus p’tit’ que les calots.
Richepin.
Calot, clothier’s shopman, or “counter-jumper;” over-particular, troublesome customer.
Calotin, m. (familiar), priest; one of the Clerical party.
Calotte, f. (familiar), clergy. Le régiment de la——, the company of the Jesuits.
Calottée, f. (rodfishers’), worm-box.
Calvigne, or clavigne, f. (thieves’), vine.
Calvin, or clavin, m. (thieves’), grapes.
Calypso, f. (popular), faire sa——, to show off, to pose.
Cam, f. (thieves’), lampagne de——, country, or “drum.”
Camarade, m. (popular), de pionce, bed-fellow; (military) regimental hair-dresser. (Familiar) Bon petit—— is said ironically of a colleague who does one an ill turn, or slanders one.
Camarde, f. (thieves’), death. Baiser la——, to die. See Pipe.
Camarder (thieves’), to die.
Camarluche, m. (popular), comrade, “mate.”
Camaro, m. (popular), comrade, or “mate.”
Camboler (popular), to fall down.
Cambouis, m. (military), army service corps. Properly cart grease.
Cambriau, cambrieux, m. (popular), hat, or “tile.” See Tubard.
Cambriole, f. (thieves’), room, or “crib;” shop, or “swag.”
Gy, Marpaux, gy nous remouchons
Tes rouillardes et la criole
Qui parfume ta cambriole.
Richepin.
Cambriole de milord, sumptuous apartment. Rincer une——, to plunder a room or shop.
Cambrioleur, m. (thieves’), thief who operates in apartments; —— à la flan, thief of that description who operates at random, or on “spec.”
Cambriot, m. (popular), hat, “tile.” See Tubard.
Cambroniser, euphemism for emmerder (which see).
Cambronne! euphemism for a low but energetic expression of refusal or contempt, which is said to have been the response of General Cambronne at Waterloo when called upon to surrender (see Les Misérables, by V. Hugo). Sterne says, in his Sentimental Journey, that “the French have three words which