Castroz, m. (popular), capon.
Castu, m. (thieves’), hospital. Barbeaudier de——, hospital director.
Castue, m. (thieves’), prison, or “stir.” See Motte. Comte de——, jailer, or “jigger-dubber.”
Cataplasme, m. (popular), au gras, spinach; —— de Venise, blow, “clout.”
Cataplasmier, m. (popular), hospital attendant.
Catapulteux, catapulteuse, adj. (popular), beautiful; marvellous. Une femme——, a magnificent woman, a “blooming tart.”
Catiniser (popular), se——, to be in a fair way of becoming a street-walker.
Cauchemardant (popular), tiresome, annoying, “boring.”
Cauchemarder (popular), to annoy, to bore. Se——, to fret.
Cause, f. (familiar), grasse, case in a court of justice offering piquant details.
Causotter (familiar), to chat familiarly in a small circle.
Cavalcade, f. (popular), love intrigue. Avoir vu des cavalcades is said of a woman who has had many lovers.
Cavale, f. (popular), flight. Se payer une——, to run away, or “to crush.” See Patatrot. (Thieves’) Tortiller une——, to form a plan for escaping from prison.
Cavaler (thieves’ and cads’), quelqu’un, to annoy one, to “rile” him. Se——, to make off, “to guy.” For list of synonyms see Patatrot. Se—— au rebectage, to pray for a new trial in the “Cour de Cassation.” This court may quash a judgment for the slightest flaw in the procedure, such as, for instance, the fact of a witness not lifting his right hand when taking the oath. Se—— cher au rebectage, to pray for a commutation of a sentence.
Cavalerie, f. (popular), grosse——, man who works in the sewers, a “rake-kennel.” An allusion to his high boots.
Cavé, m. (popular), dupe, or “gull;” cat’s-paw.
Cavée, f. (thieves’), church.
Cayenne, m. (popular), suburban cemetery; suburban factory; workshop at a distance from Paris. Gibier de——, scamp, jail-bird.
Cayenne-les-eaux, m. (thieves’), the Cayenne dépôt for transported convicts.
Cé, m. (thieves’), silver. Attaches de——, silver buckles. Bogue de——, silver watch, “white ’un.” Tout de——, very well.
Cela me gêne (theatrical), words used by actors to denote anything which interferes with the impression they seek to produce by certain tirades or by-play.
Celui (popular), avoir—— de …, stands for avoir l’honneur de …, to have the honour to … .
Censure, f. (thieves’), passer la——, to repeat a crime.
Centiballe, m. (popular), centime. Balle, a franc.
Central, m. (familiar), pupil of the “Ecole Centrale,” a public engineering school; telegraph office of the “Place de la Bourse.”
Centre, m. (thieves’), name, “monarch or monniker.” Also a meeting-place for malefactors. Un—— à l’estorgue, a false name, or “alias.” Un—— d’altèque, a real name. Coquer son——, to give one’s name. (Familiar) Le—— de gravité, the behind, or “seat of honour.” See Vasistas. Perdre son——, to be tipsy, “fuddled.”
Centré, adj. (popular), is said of one who has failed in business, “gone to smash.”
Centrier, or centripète, m. (military), foot soldier, “beetle-crusher or wobbler;” (familiar) member of the “Centre” party (Conservative) of the House, under Louis Philippe. The House is now divided into “extrême gauche” (rabid radicals); “gauche” (advanced republicans); “centre-gauchers” (conservative republicans); “centre” (wavering members); “centre droit” (moderate conservatives); “droite” (monarchists and clericals); “extrême droite” (rabid monarchists and ultramontane clericals).
Centriot, m. (thieves’), nickname.
Cercle, m. (thieves’), silver coin. (Familiar) Pincer or rattraper au demi——, to come upon one unawares, to catch, “to nab” him. From an expression used in fencing.
Cercueil, m. (students’), glass of beer. A dismal play on the word “bière,” which has both significations of beer and coffin.
Cerf, m. (popular), injured husband, or cuckold. Se déguiser en——, to decamp; to run away; to be off in a “jiffy.” See Patatrot.
Cerf-volant, m. (thieves’), female thief who strips children at play in the public gardens or parks. A play on the words “cerf-volant,” kite, and “voler,” to steal.
Cerise, f. (popular), mason of the suburbs.
Cerises, f. pl. (military), monter en marchand de——, to ride badly, with toes and elbows out, and all of a heap, like a man with a basket on his arm.
Cerisier, m. (popular), sorry horse. An allusion to the name given to small horses which used to carry cherries to market.
Cerneau, m. (literary), young girl. Properly fresh walnut.
Certificats, m. pl. (military), de bêtise, long-service stripes.
C’est (printers’), à cause des mouches, sneering reply.
Eh! dis donc, compagnon, pourquoi n’es-tu pas venu à la boîte ce matin? L’autre répond par ce coq-à-l’âne: C’est à cause des mouches.—Boutmy.
Cet (popular), aut’ chien, that feller!
Chabannais, m. (popular), noise; row; thrashing. Ficher un——, to thrash, “to wallop.” See Voie.
Chabrol, m. (popular), mixture of broth and wine.
Chacal, m. (military), Zouave.
Chaffourer (popular), se——, to claw one another.
Chafrioler (popular), se—— à quelque chose, to find pleasure in something.
Chahut, m. (familiar and popular), eccentric dance, not in favour in respectable society, and in which the dancers’ toes are as often on a level with the faces of their partners as on the ground; uproar, “shindy,” general quarrel. Faire du——, to make a noise, a disturbance.
Chahuter