1884. American, VIII., 100. To denounce the twenty-seven as bolters from their party.
Bolt-in-Tun, phr. (London
thieves').—Bolted; run away.
1819. J. H. Vaux, Memoirs. A term founded on the cant word 'bolt,' and merely a fanciful variation very common among flash persons, there being in London a famous inn so called. It is customary when a man has run away from his lodgings, broken out of jail, or made any other sudden movement, to say 'the Bolt-in-tun is concerned,' or 'he's gone to the Bolt-in-tun' instead of simply saying, 'he has bolted,' etc.
Boltsprit, Boltspreet, Bowsprit,
subs, (common).—An old and
humorous term for the nose.
[The analogy is between the
spar or boom extending beyond
the stem of a vessel and the
nose as a prominent and projecting
feature of the face.]
For synonyms, see Conk.
1690. Shadwell, Amorous Bigot, Act v. As thou lovest thy ears, or nose, that bolt-sprit of thy face, [m.]
1691. Shadwell, Scowerers, Act v. They do not consider the tenderness of my bolt-sprit, [m.]
1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5 ed.). Boltsprit (s.), a cant name for the nose.
Bolt the Moon, verbal phr.—To
remove one's goods and chattels
under cover of night with a view
of evading the payment of rent.
A variant of shoot the moon
(q.v.); the act itself is called a
moonlight flitting (q.v.).
Bolus, subs, (common).—An apothecary;
a doctor. [From bolus,
a large pill frequently prescribed
by physicians.]
1878. Hatton, Cruel London, bk. VI., ch. ii. 'The doctor, up from the Indian bar, came and said I was wanted in London' . . . 'good for old Bolus,' said Kernan; 'and I believe him.'
Boman, subs. (old).—A gallant
fellow. This is mentioned by
Nares, who, however, could
find no example illustrating its
use.
Bombay Ducks, subs. (old).—1.
The Bombay regiments of the
East India Company's army
were so called.
2. A well known delicacy, the exact nature of which is explained by G. A. Sala in the second quotation.
1865. G. A. Sala, in Daily Telegraph, 14 August, 5, 4. His cuisine was, with the occasional interpolation of a not entirely objectionable curry, accompanied by Bombay ducks, exclusively old-fashioned English.
1886. G. A. Sala, in Ill. Lon. News, 7 August, 138, 2. The Bombay duck is the Anglo-Indian relation of the Digby chick. Alive, it is a fish called the bummelo; dead and dried, it becomes a duck.
Bombo, Bumbo, subs, (common).—
nickname given to various
mixtures, but chiefly to cold
punch. Smollett, in a note in
Roderick Random, speaks of it as
'a liquor composed of rum,
sugar, water, and nutmeg.'
1748. Smollett, Roderick Random, ch. xxxiv. A table well stored with bumbo and wine.
1867. Smyth, Sailors' Word Book. Bombo, weak cold punch.
a. 1886. Northumb. Song, in N. and Q., 6 March, 195. The pitmen and the keelman . . . drink bumbo made of gin.
Bona, subs, (popular).—A girl;
young woman; a belle.
c. 18(?). Broadside Ballad, 'Oh, Fred, don't be so frivolous.' Girls are in vulgar called donas, Some are called Miss and some Mrs., The best of them all are called bonas, The whole jolly lot's fond of kisses. I kiss pretty lips, and I squeeze finger tips, No matter what I have to pay,
