Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 1.pdf/106

 1876. M. E. Braddon, Joshua Haggard's Daughter, ch. xx. Not in fetid alleys and festering London back-slums only is man's fight with difficulty a bitter and crushing battle.

(Australian thieves'.)—A back room or entrance.

Backstaircase, subs. (common).—A bustle, or 'dress improver.' For synonyms, see Birdcage.

Backstair Influence, subs. (familiar).—Underhand dealing or persuasion; a stab in the dark; intrigue. [From the use of the back or private stairs of a palace, etc., for other than state visitors; hence, a secret mode of approach; and, attributively, applied to indirect, oblique, and unfair intrigue.]

1697. Vanbrugh, Relapse, II. He is like a backstair minister at Court, who, while the reputed favourites are sauntering in the bed-chamber, is ruling the roast in the closet.

1877. Grenville Murray, Round about France, p. 77. These men are the most indefatigable retailers of backstairs small talk to the little fry of journalism.

Back-Stall, subs. (thieves').—An accomplice who 'covers' the actual thief; especially used in relation to garrote-robberies, in which the back-stall has two functions, first to screen his companion, and then, if necessary, to 'make off' with the booty.

Back Talk. No back talk! phr. (common).—1. A slang catch-phrase indicating that the matter in question is closed to discussion; 'there's nothing more to be said.'

2. Underhand insinuation.

Back Teeth. To have one's back teeth well afloat, phr. (popular).—A facetiously brutal way of implying that the subject of such a remark is well primed with liquor—even to the verge of drunkenness.—See Screwed.

1888. Missouri Republican, Jan. 25. When sober on the bench, Judge Noonan is a model of all the virtues. On Friday night, however, in company with Dr. Munford, of Kansas City, ex-Speaker Wood, Mr. Charles Mead and several other gentlemen, his honour once more drank until, as an onlooker put it, his back teeth were well afloat.

Back-Timber, subs. (old).—Clothes. A humorous term which dates back to the middle of the seventeenth century. Other slang equivalents are togs and toggery; also war-paint in the sense of fine or showy garb. In French argot, alpague is used synonymously.

b. 1574, d. 1656. Bp. Hall, Works V., 543. Was there ever more riot and excess in diet and clothes, in belly-cheer and back-timber, than we see at this day? [d.]

Back Tommy, subs. (tailors').—A piece of cloth used to cover the 'stays' at the waist.

Back-Track. To take the back-track, phr. (American).—To retreat from any assumed position; to back out (q.v.).

Back Up, verb. (Winchester College).—To call out. In 'College' various times are called out by Junior in 'Chambers,' such as 'Three quarters!' 'Hour!' 'Bells go single!' 'Bells down!'

Back-Slang, subs. (street and costermonger).—A species of