Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 1.pdf/318

 1816. Scott, Old Mortality, ch. viii. 'I ne'er gat ony gude by his doctrine, as ye ca't, but a sour fit o' the batts wi' sitting amang the wet moss-hays for four hours at a yoking.

Botanical Excursion, subs. (old).—A thief's circumlocution for transportation-the allusion being to Botany Bay (q.v.).

Botany Bay, subs. (University).—1. At Oxford, Worcester College is so designated on account of its remote situation as regards the bulk of the collegiate buildings. It will be seen that a similar reason has caused a certain portion of Trinity College, Dublin, to receive an identical nickname. The general idea underlying the term is obviously that to get to the places in question one has figuratively to go almost as far as if transported to the real Botany Bay, formerly a convict settlement in New South Wales.

1841. Lever, Charles O'Malley, ch. xx., note. Botany Bay was the slang name given by college men to a new square rather remotely situated from the remainder of the college [i.e., Trinity, Dublin].

1853. Rev. E. Bradley ('Cuthbert Bede'), Adventures of Verdant Green, I., p. 63. A name given to W. College, from its being the most distant college.

2. (thieves' and prison.)—Penal servitude. Formerly convicts [1787-1867] were transported to Botany Bay, a convict settlement at the Antipodes. Hence to go to Botany Bay was in popular use for a long term of imprisonment.

Botany-Bay Fever, subs. (old).—Transportation; penal servitude. Convicts condemned to transportation were said to have died of, or to have Botany-Bay fever. Cf., Hempen fever for hanging.

Botch, subs. (old).—A tailor. [An abbreviated form of 'botcher,' which has been used for a very long period in all the following senses—a cobbler, tailor who does repairs, jobber, and an unskilful workman.] Also called a Snip, which see for synonyms.

Bottle. To turn out no bottle, phr. (sporting).—Not to turnout well; to fail.

Bottle-Ache, subs. (common).—Drunkenness; also applied to an attack of delirium tremens. [From bottle, in allusion to drink causing indisposition, + ache, a pain or sickness.] There are many curious terms for this effect of intemperance, such as Jim-jams, barrel-fever, quart-*mania; but for full list of synonyms, see Gallon distemper.

Bottle-Arsed, adj. phr. (printers').—Type thicker at one end than the other—a result of wear and tear.

Bottle-holder, subs. (common).—A second at a prize-fight, hence—

2. One who gives moral support; a backer; an adviser. In the Times of 1851, Lord Palmerston was reported to consider himself the bottle-holder of oppressed states: and in Punch of the same year, a cartoon appeared representing that statesman as the 'judicious bottle-holder.'

1753. Smollett, Ct. Fathom (l.). An old bruiser makes a good bottle-holder.