Caruche, f. (thieves’), prison, or “stir.” Comte de la——, jailer, or “dubsman.” See Motte.
Carvel, m. (thieves’), boat. From the Italian caravella.
Cas, m. (popular), montrer son——, to make an indecent exhibition of one’s person.
Casaquin, m. (popular), human body, or “apple cart.” Avoir quelquechose dans le——, to be uneasy; ill at ease in body or mind. Tomber, sauter sur le—— à quelqu’un, to give one a beating, “to give one Jessie.” Grimper, tanner, travailler le——, to belabour, “to tan.” See Voie.
Cascader (familiar), interpolating by an actor of matter not in the play; to lead a fast life.
Cascades, f. pl. (theatrical), fanciful improvisations; (familiar) eccentric proceedings; jokes. Faire des——, to live a fast life.
Cascadeur (theatrical), actor who interpolates in his part; (familiar) man with no earnestness of purpose, and who consequently cannot be trusted; fast man.
Cascadeuse, f. (familiar), fast girl or woman.
Cascaret, m. (thieves’), two-franc coin.
Case, carrée, or piole, f. (thieves’), room; lodgings, “diggings,” or “hangs out;” (popular) house; any kind of lodgings, “crib.” Le patron de la——, the head of any establishment, the landlord, the occupier of a house or apartment. (Familiar) N’avoir pas de case judiciaire à son dossier is said of one who has never been convicted of any offence against the law. The “dossier” is a record of a man’s social standing, containing details concerning his age, profession, morality, &c. Every Parisian, high and low, has his “dossier” at the Préfecture de Police.
Casimir, m. (popular), waistcoat, “benjy.”
Casin, m. (familiar), pool at billiards.
Casinette, f. (popular), habituée of the Casino Cadet, a place somewhat similar to the former Argyle Rooms.
Casoar, m., plume of shako, in the slang of the students of the Saint-Cyr military school, the French Sandhurst.
Casque, m. (popular), hat, “tile.” See Tubard. Casque à auvent, cap with a peak; —— à mèche, cotton nightcap. Avoir du——, to have a spirited, persuasive delivery; to speak with a quack’s coolness and facility. An allusion to Mangin, a celebrated quack in warrior’s attire, with a large helmet and plumes. This man, who was always attended by an assistant who went by the name of Vert-de-gris, made a fortune by selling pencils. Avoir le——, to have a headache caused by potations; to have a fancy for a man. Avoir son——, to be completely tipsy. See Pompette.
Casquer (popular), to pay, or “to fork out;” to fall blindly into a snare; to mistake.
Casquette, f. (familiar and popular), money lost at some game at a Café. Une—— à trois ponts, a prostitute’s bully, or “ponce,” thus termed on account of the tall silk cap sported by that worthy. See Poisson. Etre——, to be intoxicated. See Pompette. (Familiar) Etre——, to have vulgar manners, to be a boor, “roly-poly.”
Casqueur, m. (theatrical), spectator who is not on the free list.
Cassant, m. (thieves’), walnut tree; (sailors’) biscuit.
Cassantes, f. pl. (thieves’), teeth, or “head-rails;” nuts; walnuts.
Casse, f. (popular), chippings of pastry sold cheap. Je t’en——, that’s not for you.
Casse-gueule, m. (popular), suburban dancing-hall; strong spirits, or “kill devil.”
Cassement, m. (thieves’), de porte, housebreaking, “cracking a Crib.”
Casser, (thieves’), to eat, “to grub;” —— du sucre, or se mettre à table, to confess; —— du sucre, or —— du sucre à la rousse, to peach, “to blow the gaff;” —— la hane, to steal a purse, “to buz a skin;” —— sa canne, to sleep, or “to doss;” to be very ill; as a ticket-of-leave man, to break bounds; to die; —— sa ficelle, to escape from the convict settlement; (popular) —— un mot, to talk; —— du bec, to have an offensive breath; —— du grain, to do nothing of what is required; —— du sucre sur la tête de quelqu’un, to talk ill of one in his absence, to backbite; —— la croustille, to eat, “to grub;” —— la gueule à une négresse, to drink a bottle of wine; —— la gueule à un enfant de chœur, to drink a bottle of wine (red-capped like a chorister); —— la marmite, to quarrel with one’s bread and cheese; —— le cou à un chat, to eat a rabbit stew; —— le cou à une négresse, to discuss a bottle of wine; —— sa pipe, son câble, son crachoir, or son fouet, to die, “to kick the bucket,” “to croak.” See Pipe. Casser son œuf, to have a miscarriage; —— son pif, to sleep, “to have a dose of balmy;” —— son lacet, to break off one’s connection with a mistress, “to bury a moll;” —— une roue de derrière, to spend part of a five-franc piece. Se la——, to get away, to move off, “to hook it.” See Patatrot. N’avoir pas cassé la patte à coco, to be dull-witted, or “soft.” (Familiar) A tout——, tremendous; awful. Une noce à tout——, a rare jollification, “a flare-up,” or “break-down.” Un potin à tout——, a tremendous row, or “shindy.”
Casserolage, m. (thieves’), informing against an accomplice.
Casserole, f. (thieves’), informer, or “buz-man;” spy, or “nark;” police officer, or “copper.” See Pot-à-tabac. Casserole, prostitute, or “bunter.” See Gadoue. Coup de——, denunciation, or “busting.” Passer à——, to be informed against. (Popular) Casserole, name given to the Hôpital du Midi. Passer à——, see Passer.
Casseur, m. (thieves’), de portes, housebreaker, “buster,” or “screwsman;” —— de sucre à quatre sous, military convict of the Algerian “compagnies de discipline,” chiefly employed at stone-breaking. The “compagnies de discipline,” or punishment companies, consist of all the riff-raff of the army.
Cassine, f. (popular), properly small country-house; house where the master is strict; workshop in which the work is severe.
Cassolette, f. (popular), chamber utensil, or “jerry;” scavenger’s cart; mouth, or “gob.” Plomber de la——, to have an offensive breath.
Cassure, f. (theatrical), jouer une——, to perform in the character of a very old man.
Castagnettes, f. pl. (military), blows with the fist.
Caste, f. (old cant), de charrue, one-fourth of a crown.
Castor, or castorin, naval officer who