2. (popular.)—The Monday on which the death penalty is carried out; these events are generally arranged to fall on the day in question.
Black-Mummer, subs. (old).—An
epithet applied to one unwashed
and unshorn.
Black-Nob, subs. (trades' union).—A
non-unionist; one who, while
his fellows are on strike, persists
in working at his trade; a
blackleg (q.v.). [Apparently
a humorous variant of blackleg.
From black = wicked,
atrocious, + nob, the head, in
place of leg in blackleg.]
They are also called knob-*sticks
and scabs (q.v.).
Black Ointment, subs. (American
thieves').—A term for uncooked
meat.
Black-Pot, subs. (old).—A toper; a
tippler. [Beer mugs were called
black-pots; also black-jacks,
hence, probably, a transference
of the name from the utensil to
the drinker.]
1594. Greene, Fr. Bacon, v., 122. I'll be Prince of Wales over all the black-pots in Oxford.
1636. Heywood, Love's Mistr., II. Iugg, what's shee but sister to a black-pot.
1818. Scott, Heart of Midlothian, xxxii. A whole whiskin, or black-pot of sufficient double ale.
Black Psalm. To sing the black
psalm, phr. (old).—To cry; a
saying used to children.—Grose.
Blacks.—See Black horse.
Black Sal or Suke, subs. (popular).—A
kettle.—See Sukey for
synonyms.
Black Saturday, subs. (workmen's).—A
Saturday on which an artisan
or mechanic has no money
to take, having anticipated it by
advances. Cf., Black Monday
and Blue Monday.
Black-Sheep, subs. (common).—A
mildly opprobrious term for
a scapegrace; a 'bad lot';
'un mauvais sujet.' It is also
applied like blackleg and
black-nob to workmen who
persist in working when their
comrades are on strike. The
word is hardly slang now.
1864. Le Fanu, Uncle Silas, ch. xxvi. 'Your Uncle Silas had injured himself before that in the opinion of the people of his county. He was a black sheep, in fact. Very bad stories were told and believed of him.'
1874. M. Collins, Frances, ch. xxxvii. 'In all cities there are black sheep, but in a city like London, sound finance is the rule, I am sure.'
1876. Besant and Rice, Golden Butterfly, ch. xxviii. 'Many companies, perfectly sound in principle, may be ruined by a sudden decrease in the price of shares; a panic sets in, and in a few hours the shareholders may lose all. And if you bring this about by selling without concert with the other favoured allottees, you'll be called a black sheep.
Verb (Winchester College).—When a fellow in 'Junior Part' got above (or 'jockeyed') a fellow in 'Middle Part.'
Blacksmith's Daughter, subs.
(popular).—A key. Formerly
the key with which the doors
of sponging houses were unlocked.
Also Locksmith's
daughter, which see for synonyms.
1859. C. Dickens, Tale of Two Cities. Place it under the care of the blacksmith's daughter.
1864. Reader [quoted in N. and Q., 5 S., ix., 263]. Blacksmith's daughter.
