1841. Dickens, Barnaby Rudge, xxxv. 'We don't take in no tagrag and bobtail at our house.' [m.]
Boco, subs. (originally pugilistic,
now common).—I. The nose.
[Probably from beak, sense 3.]
The form employed by American
thieves is boke. For synonyms,
see Conk.
1880. Besant and Rice, Seamy Side, ch. i. 'A common keeper, who was in the lot, got a heavy oner on the boko for his share.' 'Boys,' said Mr. Hamblin, 'who use slang come to the gallows. Boko is—' 'Conk or boko,' said Nicolas the vulgar. 'It's all the same.'
1889. Ally Sloper's Half Holiday, July 6. Dear Old Blistered Boko,—I trust you will allow me to thank you and your Graphologist for my character I received this morning. My friends say it is correct. I am saving up my pocket-money for a bottle of nose bloomer. I can see your boko blushing at the prospect.
1889. Sporting Times, July 6. The Gnat, with the Cunning peculiar to the Wicked flew up the Lion's boko and Stung hin so Badly, that the Great Beast rent himself to Death with his Own Claws.
2. Nonsense; 'bosh.' [Of unknown derivation, and it seems to have no connection with sense 1.]
1886. Punch, 25 Sept., p. 145. Lop-sided Free Trade is all boko.
Bodier, subs. (pugilistic).—A blow
on the side of the body.—See
Rib-roaster.
Bodkin, subs. (sporting).—Amongst
sporting men, a person who
takes his turn between the
sheets on alternate nights, when
an hotel has twice as many
visitors as it can comfortably
lodge; as, for instance, during
a race-week. A transferred
sense from
To ride or sit bodkin, phr. (common).—To take a place and be wedged in between other persons when the accommodation is intended for two only.
1638. Ford, Fancies, IV., i. (1811), 186. Where but two lie in a bed, you must be—bodkin, bitch-baby—must ye? [m.]
1798. Loves of the Triangles, 182. While the pressed bodkin, punched and squeezed to death, Sweats in the mid-most place.
1848. Thackeray, Book of Snobs, ch. xxxiv. The writer supposes Aubrey to come to town in post-chaise and pair, sitting bodkin probably between his wife and sister.
Body-Cover, subs. (American
thieves').—A coat. One is
almost tempted to ask whether
this is the only garment known
to the criminal classes. Cf.,
Wrap-rascal.
Body of Divinity Bound in Black
Calf. phr. (old).—A parson. So
quoted in the Lexicon Balatronicum
[1811]. For synonyms, see
Devil-dodger.
Body-Slangs, subs. (thieves').—Fetters.
[From slang (q.v.), a
chain.]—See quot. and for synonyms,
Darbies.
1819. Vaux, Memoirs. Body-slangs are of two kinds. Each consists of a heavy iron ring to go round the waist, to which are attached in one case two bars or heavy chains, connected with the fetters round the ankles, in the other case a link at each side attached to a handcuff. Into these the wrists are locked, and thus held down to the prisoner's sides. The latter are now only to be found in museums.
Body-Snatcher, subs. (old).—I. A
bailiff or runner. [The snatch
was the trick by which the
bailiff captured the delinquent.]
These terms are now obsolete,
so far as the pursuits mentioned
