Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 1.pdf/63

 slang).--[From ambo, both + dexter, the right hand, i.e., the faculty of using both hands as right hands, or equally well.] Applied first in a slang sense to a lawyer taking fees or bribes from both plaintiff and defendant, ambidexter gradually became identified with double-dealing of all kinds.

1532. Use of Dice Play (1850), 17. Any affinity with our men of law? Never with those that be honest. Marry! with such as be ambidexters, and used to play in both the hands. [m.]

1555. Ridley, Works, 27. They may be called neutrals, ambidexters, or rather such as can shift on both sides. [M.]

1691. Blount, Law Dictionary. Ambidexter .... That Juror or Embraceor who takes Money on both sides, for giving his Verdict.

1703. De Foe, Ref. Manners, 93. Those ambodexters in Religion, who Can any thing dispute, yet any thing can do.

1864. Sir F. Palgrave, Norman and Eng. III., 278. An ambidexter, owing fealty to both Counts, and not faithful to either.

Ambush, subs. (American thieves').--Fraudulent weights and measures. A punning allusion to the accepted meaning of the word--to lie in wait (lying weight). In juxtaposition to this may be placed the Fourbesque (Italian thieves' argot); giusta, a pair of scales, a balance, which in Italian literally means 'correct.' Cf., French thieves' argot, juste (an abbreviation of justice), for the assizes; also the Spanish Germania justia, in a similar sense, the last-named being a shortened form of the Spanish justicia.

Amen Curler, subs. (old slang).--The name formerly given to a parish clerk. In the army the chaplain's clerk is called an AMEN WALLAH (q.v.).

Amener, subs. (old).--A nickname given to one who agrees to everything said or done. [From that sense of amen = to ratify solemnly + er.]

Amen-Snorter, subs. (Australian).--A parson; from which it will be observed that the fifth continent is evolving words and phrases as peculiar to itself as America has already done. For synonyms, see Devil dodger.

1888. Bulletin, Nov. 24. In Maori-*land it is impossible to swing any kind of cat without smiting some variety of amen-snorter. Still the saints are not happy. They have just held at Wellington a 'United Ker-ristian Conference' to ruminate on the sinfulness of things and the scarcity of the unsanctified three-*penny. A Rev. vessel, one Potter, opined that the meagre quantity and inferior quality of family devotion accounted for the depleted condition of the 'treasury of the Loard,' and suggested that steps should be taken 'to find out what families omit this important duty.' Since which all the dead-beats and suspected hen-snatchers plead when before the Binch that they were 'only mouching round to find out whether the family neglected its religious dooties, yer washup.'

Amen Wallah, subs. (military).--A chaplain's clerk; the allusion is sufficiently obvious. 'Wallah' is Hindustani for 'man' or person. Cf., the old English slang, AMEN CURLER (q.v.).

Amerace, adv. (American thieves').--Jargon signifying near at hand; within call.

American Shoulders, subs. (tailors').--A particular 'cut,' in which the shoulders of a coat are so shaped as to give the wearer a broad and burly appearance. This is usually done