Page:Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant (1889) by Barrere & Leland.djvu/259

 Catchee — Cats 1 party. the unwary by means of a paltry subterfuge (Hotten). Catchee (pidgin-English), to get, have, own, possess, hold. " My look-see one piecee man catchee chow-chow" — "I saw a man eating. " " My catchee waifo " — " I am — or am to be married." " My no catchee one flin inside alio t'at house" — "I have not one friend in all that family." Suppose one man no catchee cash, he no can play at game ; Supposey pigeon no hab wing, can no make fly all same. —Wang-ti. Catch-'em-alive (common), paper smeared with a sticky substance to catch flies. A picture-room devoted to a few of the regular shaky old saints, with such coats of varnish that every holy personage served for a fly-trap, and became what is now called in the vulgar tongue a catch- 'em-alive, O.— Charles Dickens: Little Dorritt. Also a small-tooth comb, alluding to the tenants in the hair of dirty people. Catch on, to (common), imported from America ; to accept an offer, to understand. Randolph looked rather puzzled at first, but when he did catch on to the Arch- bishop's meaning, he had to be thumped on the back by his pal Chamberlain, to prevent him from choking. — Funny Folks. " You catch on," is an invitation to take one's turn, to follow suit. (Theatrical), a play is said to be caught on when successful. Catch on the hop, to (common), to catch or find one by taking one's chance when he is travel- ling or moving about. Also to catch unawares. Catch-pole (old slang), a sheriff's officer. Catever (popular), poor, bad, of doubtful quality. According to Hotten, from the Lingua Franca and Italian cattivo, bad. ' ' Well, how's things: bona?" "No, catever." Catfish death (American), suicide by drowning. Col. " Pat" Donan doesn't like the play of " Hamlet." Hear the eloquent adjec- tive slinger : " I have no patience, much less sympathy, with a wretched weakling who goes around jabbering at dilapidated old ghosts in tin helmets and green gauze veils, under bogus moonlight ; everlastingly threatening to do something, and never doing it ; driving his sweetheart to lunacy and a catfish death, by his dime-museum freaks. "—Chicago Press. Cat-heads (old), a woman's breasts. Cat-lap (common), weak drink. Cats' head (Winchester College), the fag end of a shoulder of mutton. Cats' meat (popular), the lungs. Cats' party (familiar), a party to which none but those of the weaker sex are invited, and at which tea drinking and singing are indulged in. She was once introduced to young M . This was at a cats' party given by Mrs. to a few ladies. — Standard.