Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 1.pdf/91

 allusion to the absence of defloration; and also upon vertu in its special English usage.

Artist, subs. (American thieves').—An adroit rogue; a skilful gamester.—N.Y.S.D.

As ..., as They Make 'Em, phr. (common).—Generally employed with such adjectives as 'hot,' 'drunk,' 'bad,' etc.; e.g., as bad as they make 'em.

1889. Bird o' Freedom. Aug. 7, p. 3. On reaching the party it was evident that one of the Frenchmen was, not to put too fine a point on it, about as drunk as they make 'em. He opened the campaign by asking us to have a drink with him. Of course, he spoke in French.

Asia Minor, subs, (popular).—The Kensington and Bayswater districts in London, on account of the many Anglo-Indians who, on their retirement, take refuge therein. The nickname, however, is a double-barrelled one, inasmuch as this quarter is also the headquarters of the Greek community in the metropolis. Sobriquets of the kind are not infrequent. The district between Maida Vale and St. Peter's Park. Paddington, is called 'the New Jerusalem,' because of the large number of Jews who live there; and the same reason has given an exactly identical appellation to Brighton, while Cheltenham is nicknamed 'the Black Hole' from its numerous Anglo-Indian residents.

A sketch appeared under the title of 'The Ladies in Parliament' in Macmillan's Magazine [Nov., 1866], wherein Tyburnia was described as 'the pension'd Indian's undisturbed retreat.'

1888. Daily News, 9 Feb., p. 2, col. 5. The Ladbroke Hall. Notting-hill ... .., is in the centre of a district where Indians in the British metropolis mostly congregate, a circumstance which has acquired for this part of London the nickname of Asia Minor, by which it is sometimes called.

Ask Bogy![**looked up in source: https://archive.org/details/slangitsanalogue01farmuoft/page/74/mode/2up] phr. (old nautical slang).—An evasive reply.

Askew, subs. (old cant).—A cuppe.—Harman [1567].

Asquirm.—See Squirm.

1866. W. D. Howells. Venetian Life, ch, xviii. It is wet and slimy underfoot, and the innumerable gigantic eels, writhing everywhere, set the soul asquirm.

Ass, subs. (printers').—A compositor, so nicknamed by pressmen, who, in turn, are called pigs (q.v.). Ass is sometimes varied by donkey. In French printing offices compositors are called mulets, i.e., 'mules.'

Assay It! intj. (American thieves').—Commence! try it! Obviously from the verb 'to assay,' and probably introduced by counterfeit coiners.

Assig., subs. (old).—An assignation.—Grose.

Aste, subs. (old cant).—Nares quotes this as an old cant term for money. For modern synonyms, see Actual.

1612. The Passenger of Benvenuto. These companions, who in the phisionomie of their forehead, eyes, and nose, carry the impression and marke of the pillerie galley, and of the halter, they call the purse a leafe, and a fleece; money, cuckoes, and aste, and crowns.

Astronomer, subs. (old).—A horse which carries its head high.