1823. J. Galt. The Entail, i., 53. 'Weel, weel,' said the laird, 'dinna let us argol-bargol about it; entail your own property as ye will, mine shall be on the second son.'
1861. Times, 23 Aug. Mr. Buckle's argument [is] as absurd an argal as ever was invented by philsopher [**P2 typo "philosopher"?]or gravedigger. [m.]
Argol-Bargolous, adj. (old).—Quarrelsome.—See Argol-bargol.
1822. J. Galt. The Provost, p. 194. No doubt his argol-bargolous disposition was an inheritance accumulated with his other conquest of wealth from the mannerless Yankees.
Argufy, verb, (vulgar).—A corrupted form of 'to argue,' usually associated with cavilling or a bandying of words; also, 'to signify'; e.g., 'It doesn't much argufy.'
1758. A. Murphy. The Upholsterer. Act i. Well, it does not signify argifying.
1837. Lytton. Ernest Maltravers, bk. IV., ch, vii. 'Lord! how I should like to have you on the roadside instead of within these four gimcrack walls. Ha! ha! the argufying would be all in my favour then.'
Aristippus, subs. (old).—1. A diet drink or decoction of sarsaparilla and other drugs, sold at the coffee-houses, and drank as tea.—Grose.
2. Also a cant name for canary wine.
1627. (circa) Middleton. Wks. (Halliwell). II., 422. Rich aristippus, sparkling sherry.
Arkansas Toothpick, subs. (American).—A grimly facetious name for a folding bowie knife of large dimensions.
1854. Sir Theo. Martin (with Prof. Aytoun). Bon Gaultier Ballads. 'Straightway leaped the valiant Slingby Into armor of Seville. With a strong Arkansas toothpick. Screwed in every joint of steel.'
1881. A. B. Greenleaf. Ten Years in Texas, p. 27. All these (men) irrespective of age, size, or condition in life, could be seen with a Navy six-shooter and an Arkansas toothpick suspended to a raw-hide belt tucked around their waists. Supplement the above equipment with a sore-backed mustang pony, an old army saddle-tree and rope bridle, and you have an exact picture and entire possession of the fifteenth constitutional amendment.
1888. Detroit Free Press. Aug. It is not good form to use a toothpick in Arkansas now. A big revolver is the thing in the best society.
For synonyms, see Chive.
Ark-Floater, subs. (theatrical).—An actor well advanced in years. [From an allusion to the proverbial saying concerning anything ancient, 'He, or it, must have come out of Noah's ark,' + floats, the footlights.]
Arkman, subs. (old).—A Thames waterman. Cf.. Ackman.
Ark-Ruff, or Ark-Ruffian.—The same as ack-man (q.v.).
Armour, to be in armour. Verb, phr. (old).—To be pot-valiant; 'primed'; full of Dutch courage.—See Screwed.
Armpits. To work under the armpits, verb, phr. (old).—To sail so far to the windward of the law in petty larceny, that, if caught and tried, the punishment would not amount to more than transportation. On the passing of Sir Samuel Romilly's Act, capital punishment was abolished for highway robberies under 40s, in value. Hence, formerly, to work under the armpits was to avoid the halter
