French thieves call them les alliances, properly 'wedding rings'; also la tartouve and les lacets. For synonyms, see Darbies.
1661. Wit and Drollery, quoted in Disraeli Cur. of Wit. (Tom O'Bedlams.) [Fetters are called bracelets in a song in this work.]
1671. R. Head, English Rogue, pt. I., ch. lv., p. 371 (1874). Fetters confined my legs from stragling, and bracelets were clapt upon my arms.
1839. Harrison Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard (1889), p. 62. 'Thank you—thank you!' faltered Jack, in a voice full of emotion. ' I'll soon free you from these bracelets.'
1848. W. H. Ainsworth, James the Second, bk. I., ch. ii. 'It may be, young squire, you'll have to go . . . with a pair of bracelets on your wrists, and pay your next reck'nin' to the gov'nor of Newgate.'
1877. Five Years' Penal Servitude, ch. v., p. 359. He travels with other people who are also bound to London, and who, seeing him handcuffed, know very well his steel bracelets are not the insignia of honour.
Brace of Shakes, phr. (popular).—In a moment; 'jiffy'; 'twinkling of an eye,' etc.—See, however, Shakes. The expression is sometimes a couple, instead of a brace of shakes. A French equivalent is far-far.
1837. Barham, I. L. (Babes in the Wood). I'll be back in a couple of shakes.
1868. Ouida, Under Two Flags, ch. xii. 'But I've a trick with a 'oss that'll set that sort o' thing—if it ain't gone too far, that is to say—right in a brace of shakes.'
1884. Cornhill Mag., Jan., p. 101. 'If there were any boys at Oppingbury now like those who were here when I was young, they'd break the window in a couple of shakes.'
Brace Up, verb (thieves').—1. To pawn stolen goods—generally to their utmost value.
2. (American.)—To take a drink. [A transferred sense; from brace-up = to string up; to give firmness to.]
1888. Puck's Library, Ap., p. 20. Come old boy, let's brace up; a bumper will pull you together again.
Bracket-Faced, adj. (old).—Ugly; hard-featured.—Grose.
Bracket-Mug, subs. (common).—An ugly face. [From bracket (Cf., Bracket-faced) + mug, a slang term for the face.] For synonyms, see Hatchet-face.
Brads, subs. (common).—A generic term for money. De Vaux (see quot.), though somewhat limiting the meaning, uses the term elsewhere as equivalent to 'pence' or 'coppers.' It possibly originated among shoemakers, brads being small rivets or nails largely employed by them. Cf., Horse-nails, and for synonyms, Actual.
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict. Brads, halfpence; also money in general.
1855. Punch, XXIX., 10. [Cf., Punch's suggestion for a 'fast' partner in banks who should enquire of customers] 'Will you take it in flimsies, or will you have it all in tin? Come, look sharp, my downy one, and I'll fork out the brads like bricksy wicksy.'
1868. Brewer, Phrase and Fable, s.v. 'B Flats.' Four B's, essential for social success.—Blood, brains, brass, brads [money].—American.
1888-9. Payne, Eavesdropper, pt. II., ch. ii. They used such funny terms: 'brads' and 'dibbs' . . . at last it was borne in upon me that they were talking about money.
Tip the brads.—See quotation and Tip.
1821. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, Act i., Sc. 4. [To] tip the brads—and down with the dust, is to be at
