classes of boxers: when a man repeats his blows more fast and heavy than his opponent, the latter is 'out-fought.' Lacon, that gumptious fellow, says, 'An Irishman fights before he reasons; a Scotchman reasons before he fights; an Englishman is not particular as to the order of precedence, but will do either, to accommodate his customers! Fillalu, an Irish botheration of many.

Filly-she-horses under five years old. When fillies run against colts they are allowed 5 pounds, as in the Derby, though the Yorkshire, quite unpolitely,' allow only 2lb. as the Doncaster, (St. Leger), at York 3lb. generally. In matches they make especial bargains. Filly-stakes,' those wherein no colts do join. A pretty filly' is turfish for a young lass. Fillies, running fillies, and entered fillies, express the condition of town-girls-usually such as attend at races and parts adjacent.

Fin-the arm. 'Wooden fin; naval, but naturalised ashore. "You little fin;' low Cockney for fiend-like, devilish temper.

Fine-draw-to get at a secret by finesse.

Finish―(The) nearly obsolete; but connected with many an early recollection. 'Carpenter's coffee-house' in Coventgarden, opposite Russell-street, is that building; which being opened soon after midnight, for the reception of market-gardeners, admitted also [not likewise] of other folks, who might have been keeping it up-at Vauxhall, at the Go, or else-where. Whence the expression for 'going the rounds of several public places:' the jump, the go, and the finish, finished me last night.' Carpenter, whose portrait even now overlooks the bar, was a lecher; his handy bar-maid, Mrs. Gibson, a travelled dame, suck-seed-did Carpenter; her daughter Bob Way wedded; but

Bobby Way, he vent avay

To Southern Africa-y;
And, at the present day,

"Tis kept by Georgey Way.

For about the half century just sketched, Theodore Savage (an octagenarian) was the presiding genius of the little ale-room, and often boasted to how many he had shewn 'the road home,' by dint of the potent extract of malt and hops-cum max. et multis aliis. The Savage was a scholar and chemist.

Fire-ship--a woman diseased.

'A frigate on fire,' the same.

Fire-plug; ordinary people would imagine this to be the F. P. stuck up against many houses, to tell how many feet distant water-plugs may be found, in case of fire; but, by the double, means the otherwise affected young fellows who may have laid out their money badly in the flesh-market.

Fishing-as a sport. Every method practised in freshwater rivers is so termed; even to dipping out a trout decoy. Anciently, herring-catching was pursued as a sport; a whale on the coast entangled among rocks or flats is a fine treat, occasionally. Fisgig-gig, or fun, made at or concerning another's phiz, or face. 'Riz ma nez,' in French; a part for the whole. 'Whizgig,' as given for name to the duke of Grafton's filly by Rubens out of Penelope, must have been an etymological mistake of Mr. Robson's. See Whiz.

Fiszogor Physiog; the face. Used by people who have heard of Lavater's great work on physiognomy.

Fist-the hand, when the fingers are closed, or nearly so. Mutton-fists, are those which have too much muscle for the quantity of bone. 'Here's a fine hand!" exclaimed a loo-player yes,' rejoined his left hand player, ''tis like a shoulder of mutton.' Jove's fists must have been most powerful :

He grasped me as you would an apple;
And from his mutton fist when hurl'd,
For three long days and nights I twirl'd.

In the ring, they are to be made up with the thumb outside, covering the first knuckle of the fore-finger, and a little more of the middle one: he who covers his thumb must not hit-even a woolpack; he is then coney-thumbed.' Neither does a pugilist quite close his fist until the blow is let go; millers and hammermen slobber-away as they like. Fist is wholly masculine: when a female makes up a fist, she is no longer a woman, and must be floored like

a man.

Fit-meant to be the preterite of to fight. 'Ben's ould father fit him last night.' And see Misfit.

'Five over five-said of pigeon-toed people, who tread with toes turned inward. Fives. He keeps his fives a-going'— he robs constantly; and it applies to picking of pockets chiefly. Bunch of fives,' the hand. See also Daddle and Irons (thieving.)

6

、 Fives-court' -a large four-walled room, against one side of which a ball being hit up with the palm or fingers, and the adverse party reiterately returning the same, constitutes the game of Fives. The word was once supposed to be derived from the five fingers, played with, or upon which the reckoning was kept. The game is fifteen at single play, or three fives; either party failing to get twice five at the least, paid extra; if one five only, then double. At the Fives-court,' in St. Martin's-street, pugilists hold their sparring exhibitions; a few boxers in like manner exhibit at the Tennis-court, Windmill-street. Flabbergasted-staggered, whether physically or mentally. His colleagues were flabbergasted when they heard of Castlereagh's sudden death: as the Slang-whangers and Jargonic writers will be when they consult this work. In ring-affairs, a man may be flabbergasted by a flush hit between the eyes, whether with the gloves or without them. Flame-the hymeneal torch burns with a lambent flame; hence, a sweetheart is spoken of thus: 'S is my flame. My flame is a long time coming.' Common to both genders.

Flames-red-haired people receive this appellation; but 'tis mostly confined to females, e. g. 'Looking up to the vomen's vard von day, vho should I fling my precious. ogles upon but Flames-she as lived at the Blue Posts, ye know, vhen Jemmy Soft vas tied up.'

Flam-a lie. Flim-flam,' from flimsy, unsubstantial. Flannel (warm)-grog, punch, or gin-twist, with a dash of beer in.

"My mott oft tips the knowing dive,
When sea-crabs gang the stroll:
Unless she did how could we thrive,
And in warm flannel roll."

Flash-the language we here explicate is 'flash lingo,' to be up to which is the earliest desire of all flashy coves who may not yet be fly thereto. The acquisition of flash puts many a man fly to what is going on, adversely or otherwise. Flash in a blow-up is mainly conducive towards victory. 'Tis GREEK: Latin is a fool to it; French all my eye. Again, the language of persons whose transactions demand concealment, yet require that they should mix with those from whom it should be concealed, is flash. Men who may be unknowing of flash terms or phrases,

are said not to be flash, or fla-now corrupted to fly, which see. They were invariably thieves and gamblers who used flash formerly; but other kinds of persons, now-a-day, who may be rippishly inclined, adopt similar terms and phrases, to evince their uppishness in the affairs of life; especially those of the less honest part of the community, who, in this particular, run the risque of being foiled at their own game by means of this dictionary of modern flash. Those gentlemen also consider all terms of art and of science as flash; declare themselves 'not fly to law,' nor flash to physical phrases;' of course, those words and sayings which are appropriate to the turf, the ring, and field-sports, are equally considered as flash by them, and the word has been applied (too generally we allow,) to all this species of quid pro quo lingo. See also Jargon, Slang. Flash-a liqueur, made with expressed juice of fruit, and an inspissated juice, preserved with spirits and spices; 'tis drank warm, and made still more pleasant by the addition of brandy. Much is taken off near the drop on hanging mornings. He flash'd the blunt,' made a show of money to dazzle the spectators. Flash of lightning; a glass of gin. So said, aptly, by reason of the flashy manner of its flying off-like lightning.

66 But 'ere they homeward pik'd it,

A flash of lightning was sarv'd round
To every one as lik'd it.'

Flash-man.-Derived from his language, and this again has its appellation ('tis suggested) from the first flash men being highwaymen-that then greatly abounded (circa 1770.) He is the favourite, or protector, of a prostitute, whose flush-man he is; and she is called, inversely, his flash-woman; but, in the lower degrees of misery, they have it flash ma'am, or marm.

Flat-one who pays money when he can avoid it, is reckoned a flat by most people; if he gets done out of any, we also consider him a flat, and recommend him to take vinegar that is sharp, to whet up his wits. He may avoid much evil by studying these pages.

Flea-bite-said of trivial pain or danger, as losing a tooth is but [as] a flea-bite.' 'I minded not the storm, it was but a mere flea-bite. Yet, very differently thought an elegant lady-author [aye, there's the rub]: speaking of the town of Ath in Flanders, she says,

"Whoe'er comes here must hope for little ease,
By day the landlord bites, by night the fleas."

Flesh-market-any walk, or run for females who carry the broom up, is the flesh-market-so and so, as of the Piazzas, Cheapside, Strand, &c.

Flight-not used by us for running away: 'tis 'bolted, mizzled, made himself scarce, bought a brush,' or, indeed, any thing but right Johnsonian. Pigeon-fanciers say a flight of pigeons, for many flying together, or the flight itself: While breakfast is getting ready, I shall go out on the top and give my doves a flight:'-overheard in Spitalfields. See Dule.

6

Flints-tailors; and dungs are the same, but work at less wages or by the garment.

Flip-beer, hot, with brandy and sugar. Egg flip,' the same with this addition.

Flog (v.) to excel, to beat a person without resistance: I can't fight [scientifically] but I won't be flogged.'Vell, so help me Deborah, if that there does not flog all as ever I know'd.' 'A flogging cull-an old lecher, not often heard of.

Floorer, (ring)—is a knock-down blow. But a man may be floored by losing all his blunt, or having the house burnt about his ears. 'Floored him clean,' a knock down at full length. See' to Drop.'

Fly-is a corruption of Fla (for flash), and is but one further step towards that complete abasement in language which is always sought after, and is sometimes partially attained. Already we have it floi, from the mouth of the new Yorkshire bruiser. To be fly to every thing that is said, any man, however uppish, must pretend to a great deal more nous than any one ever did or will possess. Fly-by-night-run-aways who leave empty houses. Look at Moon-light.'

6

Flying-horse, (in wrestling)-a manœuvre taught by old Parkins, for throwing the opponent over one's head. Flummery-deceptious talk. See Cabbage.

Flush-in money. Also a 'flush hit,'-a straight hit, which catcheth the adversary as he comes on, in boxing,

Foal-a young horse whether male or female, and is confined to the period of lactation or sucking. In-foal, a mare enceinte, or big with young: but a cow in-calf, a sheep in-lamb,' is said of actual breeders of these species.