Charcutier (popular), clumsy workman; surgeon, “sawbones.”
Chardonneret, m. (thieves’), gendarme. An allusion to his red, white, and yellow uniform. Properly a goldfinch.
Charenton, m. (popular), absinthe. The dépôt for lunatics being at Charenton, the allusion is obvious.
Chargé, adj. (popular), tipsy, “tight.” See Pompette. (Coachmen’s) Etre——, to have a “fare.”
Charger (coachmen’s), to take up a “fare;” (prostitutes’) to find a client; (cavalry) —— en ville, to go to town.
Charier (thieves’), to try to get information, “to cross-kid.”
Charieur (thieves’), he who seeks to worm out some information.
Charlemagne, m. (military), sabre-bayonet.
Charlot, m. (popular and thieves’), the executioner. His official title is “Monsieur de Paris.” Soubrettes de——, the executioner’s assistants, literally his lady’s maids. An allusion to “la toilette,” or cropping the convict’s hair and cutting off his shirt collar a few minutes before the execution. (Thieves’) Charlot, thief; —— bon drille, a good-natured thief. See Grinche.
Charmant, adj. (thieves’), scabby.
Charmante, f. (thieves’), itch.
Charmer (popular), les puces, to get drunk. See Sculpter.
Charogneux, adj. (familiar), roman——, filthy novel.
Charon, charron, m. (thieves’). See Charrieur.
Charpenter (playwrights’), to write the scheme of a play.
Charpentier, m. (playwrights’), he who writes the scheme of a play.
Charretée, f. (popular), en avoir une——, to be quite drunk, to be “slewed.” See Pompette.
Charriage, m. (thieves’), swindle; —— à l’Américaine is a kind of confidence trick swindle. It requires two confederates, one called “leveur” or “jardinier,” whose functions are to exercise his allurements upon the intended victim without awakening his suspicions. When the latter is fairly hooked, the pair meet—by chance of course—with “l’Américain,” a confederate who passes himself off for a native of America, and who offers to exchange a large sum of gold for a smaller amount of money. The pigeon gleefully accepts the proffered gift, and discovers later on that the alleged gold coins are nothing but base metal. This kind of swindle goes also by the names of “vol à l’Américaine,” “vol au change.” Charriage à la mécanique, or vol au père François, takes place thus: a robber throws a handkerchief round a person’s neck, and holds him fast half-strangled on his own back while a confederate rifles the victim’s pockets. Charriage au coffret: the thief, termed “Américain,” leaves in charge of a barmaid a small box filled to all appearance with gold coin; he returns in the course of the day, but suddenly finding that he has lost the key of the box, he asks for a loan of money and disappears, leaving the box as security. It goes without saying that the alleged gold coins are nothing more than brand-new farthings. Charriage au pot, another kind of the confidence trick dodge. One confederate forms an acquaintance with a passer-by, and both meet with the other confederate styled “l’Américain,” who offers to take them to a house of ill-fame and defray all expenses, but who, being fearful of getting robbed, deposits his money in a jug or other receptacle. On the way he suddenly alters his mind, and sends the victim for the sum, not without having exacted bail-money from him as a guarantee of his return, after which both scamps make off with the fool’s money. Swindlers of this description are termed “magsmen” in the English slang.
Charrier (thieves’), to swindle one out of his money by misleading statements. See Charriage.
Charrieur, m. (thieves’), thief who employs the mode termed charriage (which see); confederate who provides cardsharpers with pigeons; —— de ville, a robber who first makes his victims insensible by drugs, and then plunders them, a “drummer;” —— cambrousier, itinerant quack; clumsy thief.
Chartreuse, f. (popular), de vidangeur, small measure of wine.
Chartron, m. (theatrical), faire le——, is said of actors who place themselves in a row in front of the footlights.
Chason, m. (thieves’), ring, “fawney.”
Chasse, f. (popular), aller à la—— au barbillon, to go a-fishing. Foutre une——, to scold vehemently, “to haul over the coals.”
Châsse, f. (thieves’), eye, “glazier.” Balancer, boiter des châsses, to be one-eyed, “boss-eyed;” to squint. Se foutre l’apôtre dans la——, to be mistaken.
Chasse-brouillard (popular), a drop of spirits; a dram to keep the damp out, a “dewdrop.”
Chasse-coquin, m. (popular), gendarme; beadle, “bumble;” bad wine.
Chasselas, m. (popular), wine.
Chassemar, m. (popular), for chasseur.
Chasse-marée, m. (military), chasseurs d’Afrique, a body of light cavalry.
Chasse-noble, m. (thieves’), gendarme.
Chasser (popular), au plat, to be a parasite, a “quiller;” —— des reluits, to weep, “to nap a bib;” —— le brouillard, to have a morning dram of spirits, or a “dewdrop;” —— les mouches, to be dying. See Pipe. (Thieves’ and cads’) Chasser, to flee, “to guy.” See Patatrot.
Gn’a du pet, interrompt un second voyou qui survient, v’là un sergot qui s’amène … chassons!—Richepin.
D’occase, abbreviation of d’occasion, secondhand.
Châssis, m. (popular), eyes, or “peepers.” Fermer les——, to sleep.
Chassue, f. (thieves’), needle. Chas, eye of a needle.
Chassure, f. (thieves’), wine.
Chasublard, m. (popular), priest, or “devil dodger.”
Vit-on un seul royaliste, un seul cagot, un seul chasublard, prendre les armes pour la défense du trône et de l’autel?—G. Guillemot, Le Mot d’Ordre, Sept. 6, 1877.
Chat, m. (thieves’), turnkey, “dubsman;” (popular) slater, from his spending half his life on roofs like cats. Avoir un—— dans la gouttière, to be hoarse.
Châtaigne, f. (popular), box on the ear, or “buck-horse.”
Chataud, chataude, adj. (popular), greedy.
Château, m. (popular), branlant, person or thing always in motion. (Thieves’) Château, prison; —— de l’ombre, convict