Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 7.pdf/59

 See Tin Tabernacle and Tab.

Table. To turn the Tables, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To reverse matters (B. E.).

1692. Lestrange, Fables. They that are honest would be arrant knaves, if the tables were turned.

1694. Congreve, Double Dealer, iv. 13. I have an after-game to play that shall turn the tables.

d. 1701. Dryden [Century Dict.]. If it be thus the tables would be turned upon me; but I should only fail in my vain attempt.

1809. Malkin, Gil Blas [Routledge], 217. The gang upon whom we turned the tables were people of very bad character.

1885. D. News, 28 Sept. The west countrymen being victorious, but the tables were turned in three following years.

Table-cloth (The), subs. phr. (colonial).—A white cloud covering the top of Table Mountain.

Tace. Tace is Latin for a candle, phr. (old).—A cant phrase in the 18th century suggesting the expediency of silence. [Latin, tacēre. Grose.]

1710. Swift, Polite Cond., ii. Brande is Latin for a goose, and tace is Latin for a candle.

1751. Fielding, Amelia, i. x. Tace, Madam, answered Murphy, is latin for a candle; I commend your prudence.

Tach, subs. (back slang).—A hat: see Golgotha.

Tachs, subs. (Tonbridge School).—A fad; a mental eccentricity. [Cf. quots.]

1822. Nares, Glossary, s.v. Tade or Tatch. A blot, spot, stain, or vice.

1847. Halliwell, Archaic Words, s.v. Tache A quality or disposition; a trick; enterprise.

Tack, subs. (common).—Generic for food: specifically (1) = 'bad food' or 'bad malt liquor' (Halliwell). Hence (2), in combination: e.g. hard-tack = coarse fare or (army and navy) biscuit as distinguished from bread; soft-tack = (a) good fare, and (b) bread. Also Tackle. At Sherborne School tack = a feast in one's study.

18[?]. Fish, of U. States, v. ii. 228. For supper in the cabin: salt beef and pork, warm soft tack, butter, sugar, tea, etc.

To tack together, verb. phr. (common).—To marry: cf. Hitch, Splice, Noose, etc.

1754. Foote, Knights, ii. She falls in love with her father's chaplain; I slips on Dominie's robes passed myself on her for him, and we were tacked together.

Tacker, subs. (provincial).—A great falsehood (Halliwell).

Tacket, subs. (provincial).—The penis: see Prick.

Tackle, subs. (old).—1. A mistress: see Tart (B. E. and Grose).

2. (old).—'Good clothes' (B. E. and Grose).

3. (venery).—The penis and testes: see Cods and Prick.

4. (thieves').—A watch chain: a red tackle = a gold chain.

1877. Horsley, Jottings from Jail. One day I went to Croydon and touched for a red toy and red tackle, with a large locket.

1888. Sims, Plank Bed Ballad [Referee, 12 Feb.]. A toy and a tackle—both red-'uns.