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 ante 1860. Song of the Bounty-Jumper (quoted in Bartlett).

My song is of a fast young man whose name was Billy Wires; He used to run with the machine, and go to all the fires: But as he lov'd a soldier's life, and wished strange things to see, So the thought struck him that he would go and jump the bounti-e.

Bounty-Jumping, subs. (American).—Obtaining a bounty by enlisting and then deserting. C.f., Bounty-jumper.

1887. Illus. Lon. News, May 14, 552, 1. In the Civil War in America between the Northern and Southern States, bounty-jumping, or enlisting, and obtaining the bounty in several regiments, and then deserting, rose to the dignity of a fine art.

Bourbon, subs. (American).—1. A Democrat of the straitest sect; a fire-eater. Applied, for the most part, to the Southern Democrats of the old school. This use of the word probably antedates the Civil War, but no instance of such use has been found in print. Bourbon County, Kentucky, is popularly associated with this kind of Democrat, but we must look to the old Bourbon party in France—uncompromising adherents of political tradition—for its true paternity.

2. A superior kind of whiskey; originally applied to that manufactured in Bourbon, Kentucky. For synonyms, see Drinks.

Bouse, Bowse, Booze, subs. (old).—1. Applied to drink or liquor of any kind. In the sixteenth century bouse formed part of the cant of beggars and thieves; latterly the word, whether as substantive or verb, has become colloquial. [Thought to be derived from the Dutch busen, to drink to excess.] For synonyms, see Drinks.

1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 65. Bowse, drinke.

1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 37 (H. Club's Repr., 1874). Bowse, drinke.

1633. Massinger, New Way to Pay Old Debts, I., i. Well. No bouse? nor no tobacco?

1785. Grose, Dictionary Vulgar Tongue. Bouze, etc., drink.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum. As above.

2. (old.)—A drinking bout; a carouse. This sense is more frequently current than sense 1.

Verb.—To drink to excess; to tipple; to 'swill.' Both this and the substantive seem to have been known as early as 1300, but neither came into general use until the sixteenth century, from which period both forms have become more and more colloquial. For synonyms, see Lush.

1567. Harman, Caveat, p. 32. They bowle and bowse one to another, and for the tyme bousing belly chere.

1592. Nashe, Pierce Penilesse. Who surmise, if there were no playes, they should have all the companie that resort to them bye bowzing and beere-bathing in their houses everie afternoone.

1615. Harington, Epigrams. Yet such the fashion is of Bacchus crue To quaffe and bowze, until they belch and spue. Well, leave it, Marcus, else thy drinking health. Will prove an eating to thy wit and wealth.

So also bouser, a toper; bousing, hard drinking; and bousy, intoxicated or 'screwed.'

Bouse the jib, verbal phr. (nautical).—To tipple; to drink heavily.—See Lush.

Bousing Ken, subs. (old).—A tavern; inn; or drinking den;