Chahuteur, m. (popular), noisy, restless fellow; one who dances the chahut (which see).
Chahuteuse, f. (popular), habituée of low dancing-saloons. Also a girl leading a noisy, fast life.
Chaillot (popular), à——! go to the deuce! à—— les gêneurs! to the deuce with bores! Ahuri de——, blockhead. Envoyer à——, to get rid of one; to send one to the deuce.
Chaîne, f. (popular), d’oignons, ten of cards.
Chaîniste, m. (popular), maker of gold chains.
Chair, f. (cads’), dure! hit him hard! smash him! That is, Fais lui la chair dure! (Popular) Marchand de—— humaine, keeper of a brothel.
Chaises, f. pl. (popular), manquer de—— dans la salle à manger, to be minus several teeth. Noce de bâtons de——, grand jollification, or “flare-up.”
Chaleur! (popular), exclamation expressive of contempt, disbelief, disappointment, mock admiration, &c.
Chaloupe, f. (popular), woman with dress bulging out. (Students’) La—— orageuse, a furious sort of cancan. The cancan is an eccentric dance, and one of rather questionable character. See Chahut.
Chalouper (students’), to dance the above.
Chamailler (popular), des dents, to eat.
Chambard, m. (Ecole Polytechnique), act of smashing the furniture and destroying the effects of the newly-joined students.
Chambardement, m. (sailors’), overthrown; destruction.
Chambarder (sailors’), to hustle; to smash. At the Ecole Polytechnique, to smash, or create a disturbance.
Chamberlan, m. (popular), workman who works at home.
Chambert, m. (thieves’), one who talks too much; one who lets the cat out of the bag.
Chamberter (thieves’), to talk in an indiscreet manner.
Chambre, f. (thieves’), de sûreté, the prison of La Conciergerie. La—— des pairs, that part of the dépôt reserved for convicts sentenced to penal servitude for life.
Chambrer (swindlers’), to lose; to steal; to “claim.” See Grinchir.
Chambrillon, m., small servant; young “slavey.”
Chameau, m. (popular), cunning man who imposes on his friends; girl of lax morals; prostitute; —— a deux bosses, prostitute. Ce—— de …, insulting expression applied to either sex.
Coupeau apprit de la patronne que Nana était débauchée par une autre ouvrière, ce petit chameau de Léonie, qui venait de lâcher les fleurs pour faire la noce.—Zola, L’Assommoir.
Chameliers, m. pl. (military), name formerly given to the old “guides.”
Champ, m. (familiar), champagne, “fiz,” or “boy;” (popular) —— d’oignons, cemetery; —— de navets, cemetery where executed criminals are interred.
Champoreau, m. (military), beverage concocted with coffee, milk, and some alcoholic liquor, but more generally a mixture of coffee and spirits. From the name of the inventor.
Le douro, je le gardais précieusement, ayant grand soin de ne pas l’entamer. J’eusse préféré jeûner un long mois de champoreau et d’absinthe.—Hector France, Sous le Burnous.
Chançard, m. (familiar), lucky man.
Chancellerie, f. (popular), mettre en——, to put one in “chancery.”
Chancre, m. (popular), man with a large appetite, a “grand paunch.”
Chand, chande (popular), abbreviation of marchand.
Chandelier, m. (popular), nose, “boko,” “snorter,” or “smeller.” For synonyms see Morviau.
Chandelle, f. (military), infantry musket; sentry. Etre conduit entre quatre chandelles, to be marched off to the guard-room by four men and a corporal. La—— brûle, it is time to go home. Faire fondre une——, to drink a bottle of wine. Glisser en——, to slide with both feet close together.
Mon galopin file comme une flèche. Quelle aisance! quelle grâce même! Tantôt les pieds joints, en chandelle: tantôt accroupi, faisant la petite bonne femme.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Changer (popular), son poisson d’eau, or ses olives d’eau, to void urine, “to pump ship.” See Lascailler.
Changeur, m. (thieves’), clothier who provides thieves with a disguise; rogue who appropriates a new overcoat from the lobby of a house or club, and leaves his old one in exchange. Also thief who steals plate.
Chanoine, m., chanoinesse, f. (thieves’), person in good circumstances, one worth robbing; —— de Monte-à-regret, one sentenced to death; old offender.
Chantage, m. (familiar), extorting money by threats of disclosures concerning a guilty action real or supposed, “jobbery.”
Chanter (familiar), to pay money under threat of being exposed. Faire—— quelqu’un, to extort money from one under threat of exposure; to extort “socket money.” (Popular) Faire—— une gamme, to thrash one, “to lead a dance.” See Voie.
Chanteur, m. (thieves’), juge d’instruction, a magistrate who investigates a case before trial; (familiar) man who seeks to extort money by threatening people with exposure. There are different kinds of chanteurs. Vidocq terms “chanteurs” the journalists who prey on actors fearful of their criticism; those who demand enormous prices for letters containing family secrets; the writers of biographical notices who offer them at so much a line; those who entice people into immoral places and who exact hush-money. The celebrated murderer Lacenaire was one of this class. Chanteur de la Chapelle Sixtine, eunuch. Maître——, skilful chanteur (which see).
Chantier, m. (popular), embarrassment, “fix.”
Chaparder (military), to loot; to steal, “to prig.”
Chapelle, f. (familiar), clique. Termed also “petite chapelle;” (popular) wine-shop, or “lush-crib.” Faire——, is said of a woman who lifts her dress to warm her limbs by the fire. Fêter des chapelles, to go the round of several wine-shops, with what result it is needless to say.
Chapelure, f. (popular), n’avoir plus de—— sur le jambonneau, to be bald, “to have a bladder of lard.” See Avoir.
Chapi, m. (popular), hat, or “tile.” See Tubard.
Chapiteau, m. (popular), head, or “block.” See Tronche.
Chapon, m. (popular), monk. Cage à chapons, monastery.