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 Head-bloke. See Head-screw.

Head-bully (or -cully).—See quots.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Head bully of the pass or passage bank. The Top Tilter of the Gang, throughout the whole Army, who Demands and receives Contribution from all the Pass Banks in the Army.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

Head-cook and bottle-washer, subs. phr. (common).—1. A general servant; in contempt.

2. (common).—One in authority; a boss (q.v.). Cf., Head-beetler.

1876. Hindley, Adv. of a Cheap-Jack, p. 66. Fred Jolly being the head-cook and bottle-washer.

Head-clerk. Head-clerk of doxology works, subs. phr. (American).—A parson. See Devil-dodger.

1869. Clemens (Mark Twain), Innocents at Home, ch. ii. If I've got the rights of it, and you are the head clerk of the doxology works next door.

Header, subs. (tailors').—A notability; a big-wig (q.v.).

to take a header, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To plunge, or fall, headforemost, into water: and (theatrical), to take an apparently dangerous leap in sensational drama. Hence, to go straight and directly for one's object.

1856. Inside Sebastopol, ch. xiv. We may surely shut the door and take a header.

1863. Fun, 4 Apr., p. 23. Did the chairman commence the proceedings by taking a tremendous header a verbatim report might be interesting.

1884. W. C. Russell, Jack's Courtship, ch. vii. 'Miss Hawke,' said I, plucking up my heart for a header and going in, so to speak, with my eyes shut and my hands clenched.

Head-fruit, subs. (old).—Horns: i.e., the result of being cuckolded.

1694. Congreve, Double Dealer, ii., 3. That boded horns: the fruit of the head is horns.

Head-Guard, subs. (thieves').—A hat; specifically, a billy-cock.

1889. Clarkson and Richardson, Police, p. 21. A billy-cock, a head-guard.

Heading, subs. (American cowboys').—A pillow; any rest for the head.

Heading 'em, subs. phr. (streets).—The tossing of coins in gambling. (In allusion to the head on the coin.)

Head-marked, adj. (venery).—Horned. To know by head-mark = to know (a cuckold) by his horns.

Headquarters, subs. (racing).—Newmarket. (Being the chief racing and training centre.)

1888. Sportsman, 28 Nov. Of the two-year olds that ran races for them are the strong point of that particular gathering at headquarters.

Head-rails, subs. (old nautical).—The teeth. For synonyms, see Grinders.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

1853. Bradley, [Cuthbert Bede] Verdant Green, Pt. II., ch. iv. He had agreeable remarks for each of his opponents to another he would cheerfully remark, 'your head-rails were loosened there, wasn't they?'

Head-robber, subs. (journalists').—1. A plagiarist.