Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 2.pdf/202

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Cover-arse Gown, subs. phr. (Univ., obsolete).—A gown without sleeves.

1803. Gradus ad Cantabrigiam, s.v.

Cover-Down, subs. (thieves').—An obsolete term for a false tossing coin.—See Cap.

Cover-Me-Decently, verbal phr. (old).—A coat. For synonyms, See Capella.

1821. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, p. 5. (Dicks' ed., 1889.) Tom. This, what do you call it?—this cover-me-decently, was all very well at Hawthorn Hall, I daresay.

Covess, subs. (old).—A woman.—See Cove.

1789. Geo. Parker, Life's Painter, p. 144. He was well acquainted with the cove and covess.

1827. Sir E. B. Lytton, Pelham, p. 310 (ed. 1864). Ah, Bess my covess, strike me blind if my sees don't tout your bingo muns in spite of the darkmans.

Covey, subs. (common).—A man; a diminutive of cove (q.v.).

1821. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, Act iii., Sc. 3. Tom. Well there's a flimsy for you; serve the change out in max to the covies.

1837. Dickens, Oliver Twist, ch. viii. Upon this, the boy crossed over; and, walking close up to Oliver, said, 'Hullo, my covey! what's the row?'

1854. Aytoun and Martin, The Bon Gaultier Ballads. 'The Laureate's Tourney.' 'Undo the helmet! cut the lace! pour water oh his head!' 'It ain't no use at all, my lord; 'cos vy? the covey's dead.'

1876. C. Hindley, Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 19. Ah! Ah! you half-starved, hungry, ugly-looking covey, why, if they had you in the country where I came from they'd boil you down for the pigs.

Cow, subs. (old).—1. A woman. The term is now opprobrious; but in its primary and natural sense the usage is ancient. Howell [1659] says: 'There are some proverbs that carry a kind of authority with them, as that which began in Henrie the Fourth's time. "He that bulls the cow must keep the calf."' For synonyms, see Petticoat.

2. (general).—A prostitute. [By analogy from sense 1.] Fr., une vache. For synonyms, see Barrack-hack and Tart.

3. (sporting).—A thousand pounds. Other slang terms for sums of money are:—

Pony    = £25. Century = £100. Monkey  = £500. Plum    = £100,000. Marigold = £1,000,000.

but for complete list, see Monkey.

1870. Athenæum, 10 Sept. 'Liverpool.' All over Lancashire a horse is called a cow, which everywhere else where slang prevails is a cant term for a thousand pounds.

To talk the hind leg off a cow of dog.—See Talk.

Tune the cow died of.—See Tune.

Cowan, subs. (common).—A sneak or prying individual. Among masons the uninitiate in general.

Cow-and-Calf, verb (rhyming slang).—To laugh.

Coward's-Castle or Corner, subs. phr. (popular).—A pulpit. [Because a clergyman may deliver himself therefrom without fear of contradiction or argument.] For synonyms, see Hum-box.

1883. Notes and Queries, 6 S., viii., p. 147. Coward's Castle An epithet in use not inaptly for a