1840. Mrs. Trollope, Michael Armstrong, ch. xiv. 'What is the billy-roller?' . . . 'It's a long stout stick, ma'am, that's used often and often to beat the little ones employed in the mills when their strength fails.'
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, III., 1166. This is the billy-roller, so much talked of in the controversies between the operatives and masters in the cotton-factories, as an instrument of cruel punishment to children, though no such machine has been used in cotton-mills for half a century at least. [m.]
Bim, Bimshire, subs. (West
Indian).—Nicknames for a
Barbadian and the island of
Barbadoes. This place is also
sometimes jeeringly called Little
England, and Barbadian
is contracted into 'Badian.
1887. Paton, Down the Islands. Barbadoes is known all the world over as the little island that pays her way; it has never been conquered; its people are enterprising and energetic, go-ahead and driving; in short, the business men of these islands (the Caribbees). Barbadian may therefore be said to mean a man with 'go and grit, energy and vim.'
Bing.—See Bynge a waste.
Binge, subs. (Oxford Univ.)—A
drinking bout.
Bingham's Dandies, subs. (military).—The
17th Lancers. From
its Colonel (Lord Bingham)
causing the men's uniforms to
fit so well. It is one of the
smartest regiments of the service.
They were also at one
time christened the Horse
Marines (q.v.). Two troops
of this showy corps were employed
as marines on board the
'Hermione' frigate during some
severe fighting in the West
Indies. Hence the sobriquet
now almost quite forgotten.
But the 17th are still well-known
as the Death or Glory
Boys, from their badge, which
consists of a death's head, with
the words, 'or glory.'
Bingo, subs. (old cant).—Brandy,
or other spirituous liquor.
Thought by Dr. Murray to
be a humorous formation from
B. for 'brandy' (Cf., 'B. and
S.') and stingo.
1785. Grose, Dictionary of Vulgar Tongue. Bingo, brandy.
1830. Bulwer Lytton, Paul Clifford, p. 41.
fighting attie's song.
Air.—'He was famed for deeds of arms 'Rise at six—dine at two— Rob your man without ado- Such my maxims—if you doubt Their wisdom, to the rightabout!'
(Signing to a sallow gentleman on the same side of the table to send up the brandy bowl.)
'Pass round the bingo,—of a gun, You musty, dusty, husky son!'
(The sallow gentleman in a hoarse voice,)
'Attie—the bingo's now with me, I can't resign it yet, d'ye see!'
(Attie, seizing the bowl,)
'Resign, resign it—cease your dust!'
(Wresting it away, and fiercely regarding the sallow gentleman.)
'You have resigned it—and you must.'
chorus.
'You have resigned it—and you must.'
1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, xxxiii. Some soda water with a dash of bingo clears one's head in the morning.
For all synonyms, see Drinks.
Hence bingo boy, a tippler; a drunkard. Bingo mort, a drunken woman.—See Mort.
Bingy, adj. (trading).—A term
largely used in the butter trade
to denote bad, ropy butter;
nearly equivalent to vinnied.
It may be noted that in the
English Dialect Society's Chestere
Glossary, bingy is given as a
peculiar clouty or frowsty taste
in milk—the first stage of turning
sour.
