Page:Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant (1889) by Barrere & Leland.djvu/45

 Admiral — Adopted.

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Admiral of the Blue (old slang), a public-house keeper, so called, says Grose, because publicans were accustomed to wear blue aprons. Properly an Admiral of the Blue is one of the third class in the navy, and holds the rear in an engagement.

Admiral of the narrow seas (nau- tical), one who from drunken- ness vomits into the lap of his opposite companion.

Admiral of the Red (common), a person whose ruby countenance gives unequivocal signs of his penchant for the bottle. Pro- perly, Admiral of the Red is an admiral of the second class, and holds the centre in an engage- ment.

As regards the word admiral taken in its literal sense, it may be interesting to remark that this word seems to have been introduced into Europe by the Genoese or Venetians in the twelfth or thirteenth century, from the Arabic Amir-al-bahr, commander of the sea, the termi- nating word having been omitted (Webster).

Admirals of the red, white, and blue (popular), street and square beadles, office and club door- keepers.

Admiral of the white (popular), a white -faced person, a coward ; a woman in a faint.

Admire, to (American), character- istic of New England, and used

in many strange ways, e.g., " I admire to look at pictures." Admire is often used for liking, predilection, or taste. "I do admire peaches and cream." " Don't you admire pumpkin- pie with ginger in it?" corre- sponds to the prosaic use of adorer, to worship : " j 'adore les pommes de terre frites."

Adobe (American), a house made of dried clay in adobes or large clay blocks. *' To the old adobe," is the death-cry of the vigilants of San Francisco when a criminal is tried by lynch law and condemned to death ; the old adobe being the slang title of the custom-house where the execution of malefactors takes place. Adobe signifies a sun- baked brick, from the Spanish.

At Los Angelos, county California, the skilled silk workers are comfortably housed in adobe cottages. — United States Corres- pondent, Standard, May 1869.

Adoi, adoy (gypsy), there. " Adoi se miri dye 1 " — " There is my mother ! "

Adonee (old cant), the Deity. Evi- dently Yiddish, from Adonai, Lord. Martin Luther uses the word as a cant term among beggars for God. A tramps' toast says : —

" May the good Adonee Soften the strong ; Lighten our loads And level our roads."

Adopted (American) signifies a naturalised citizen. President