are all prostitutes; a dance at a brothel. These orgies sometimes take the form of 'buff-balls,' all present dancing in the nude.
Bally, adj. (popular).—A comparatively recent coinage, it is said, of the Sporting Times, from 'bally-hooly.' Generally, though not always, used as is 'bloody,' in the lower strata of the body politic. It also signifies intensity, and in cases where the vocabulary at command is limited, bally does yeoman's service for such words as 'fearful,' 'dreadful,' 'terrible,' 'outrageous,' 'confounded.'
1889. Sporting Times, July 6 (Answers to Correspondents). H. G. Steele.—Thanks. What a bally idiot you must be.
1889. Bird o' Freedom, Aug. 7, p. 5. Newman Noggs, bringing small boy to carry master's bag, and inculcating manners at the same time, 'Now, what would you say if I was to give you sixpence for taking it?' 'I should say 'twasnt half enough, and you can bally well take it yourself,' was the prompt reply. Boys are boys nowadays, and no error, thinks Newman.
Bally-Bounder.—See Bally and Bounder.
Bally-Fellow.—See Bounder and Bally.
Bally Flat.—See Bounder and Bally.
Bally Fool.—See Bounder and Bally.
Ballyrag.—See Bullyrag.
Balm, subs. (old).—A lie.—Duncombe.
Balmy, subs. and adj. (common).—Sleep; sleepy. [From the figurative sense of balmy, i.e., deliciously soft and soothing.]
To have a dose of the balmy; i.e., 'to go to sleep.'
1840. Dickens, Old Curiosity Shop, ch. viii., p. 42. 'As it's rather late, I'll try and get a wink or two of the balmy.'
English Synonyms. To doss; to go to Bedfordshire (q.v.)—a play upon words.
French Synonyms. La pionce or pionçage (popular: subs., see pioncer); le somno (popular: an abbreviated form of somnolence); piquage de romance (a military term); casser une canne, or sa canne (popular: this also means 'to die.' In French as in other languages the analogy between Sleep and Death is fully recognised. Many of the French slang phrases for the former are also used to express the latter. Mors janua vitæ!); casser son pif (popular: pif in French argot = 'the nose.' Amongst the peasants of Normandy and Berry it signifies a 'grog-blossom'); pioncer (popular: from piausser, a provincialism for 'to sleep'); piquer un chien (popular: piquer a canting verb of action, 'to do'; therefore 'to do as a dog'); piquer une romance (popular); faire son lézard (popular: Cf., piquer un chien); faire son michaud (thieves': i.e., 'to rest one's head or knowledge box'); roupiller (this term is in general colloquial use); se recueillir (popular: 'to wrap oneself in meditation'); compter des pauses (musicians': 'to count the beats.' Cf., various suggested remedies
