Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 2.pdf/39

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hyred a coach on a Thursday after Whitsontide they were so be-madam'd, be-*mistrist, and ladified by the beggars, that the foolish women began to swell with a proud supposition or imaginary greatness, and gave all their mony to the mendicanting canters.

1878. Charles Hindley, Life and Times of James Catnach. 'Song of the Young Prig.' My mother she dwelt in Dyot's Isle, One of the canting crew, sirs.

Canticle, subs. (old).—A parish clerk. [From canticle, a song or psalm; one of the duties of a parish clerk being to lead the congregational singing.] So given in Grose [1785], and in the Lexicon Balatronicum [1811]. Also called an amen curler (q.v.).

Canting, verbal subs. (old).—The jargon used by beggars, thieves, gipsies, and vagrants. The same as Cant, subs., sense 1, which seems to be an abbreviated and later form of canting; Cf. 'cab' from 'cabriolet' and 'bus' from 'omnibus.'

1567. Habman, Caveat (1814), p. 6, Their language which they terms peddelers Frenche or canting.

1610. Jonson, Alchemist, II. Supr. What a brave language here is! next to canting.

1688. Shadwell, Sq. of Alsatia. I., in wks. (1720) IV., 27. A particular language which such rogues have made to themselves, called canting, as beggars, gipsies, thieves, and jail-birds do.

1742. Johnson, Highwayman and Pyrates, p. 57. All the canting language (which comprehends a parcel of invented words, such as thieves very well know, and by which they can distinguish one another from the other classes of mankind.)

Ppl. adj.—Belonging to the jargon of thieves and beggars.

1592. Groundwork Coney-Catch, 99 The manner of their canting speech [m.)] [sic]

1871. London Figaro, 13 May, p. 3, col. 2. 'Bill's dead on for a lark with the canting bloke,' whispered a lean and hungry-looking 'casual' to a no less half-starved neighbour.

Canting Crew.—See Canter.

Can't Say National Intelligencer, phr. (American).—A euphemistic expression equivalent to 'drunk.' [The National Intelligencer is an old Washington newspaper.] For synonyms, see Screwed.

Can't see a Hole in a Ladder, phr. (American).—Referring to a superlative form of intoxication. For synonyms, see Screwed.

Canuck.—See Canack.

Canvass. To receive the canvass, phr. (old).—A seventeenth century colloquialism for 'to be dismissed'; in modern slang 'to get the sack.'—See Bag, sense 2, and Sack.

1652. Shirley, The Brothers, Act. ii. As much as marriage comes to, and I lose My honor, if the Don receives the canvas.

Canvasseens, subs. (nautical).—Sailors' canvas trousers. For synonyms, see Bags and Kicks.

Canvass-Town, subs. (general).—The Volunteer Encampment at Wimbledon or Bisley when the National Rifle Association meets; also any camp or 'baby'-city. Cf., Bull's-eye Villas.

Cap, subs. (thieves').—1. A false cover to a tossing coin, called a cover-town. The cap showed either head or tail as it was left on or taken off. Obsolete.