Glasgow Greys, subs. phr. (military).—The 70th Foot. [Which in the beginning was largely recruited in Glasgow.]
1886. Tinsley's Mag., Apr., p. 321. The 70th were long known as the Glasgow Greys.
Glasgow Magistrate, subs. phr.
(common).—A herring, fresh or
salted, of the finest. [From the
practice of sending samples to
the Baillie of the River for
approval.] Also Glasgow
Baillie.
1855. Strang, Glasgow and its City Clubs. This club . . . better known by the title of the Tinkler's club, particularly when the brotherhood changed the hour of meeting . . . . and when the steak was exchanged for a 'Welsh rabbit' or Glasgow magistrate.
English Synonyms (for herrings generally).—Atlantic ranger; Californian; Cornish duck; Digby chicken; Dunbar wether; gendarme; Gourock ham; magistrate; pheasant (or Billingsgate pheasant); reds; sea-rover; soldier; Taunton turkey; two-eye'd steak; Yarmouth capon. Fr.: gendarme.
Glass, subs. (American thieves').—An
hour. [An abbreviation of
'hour-glass.']
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. The badger piped his Moll about a glass and a half before she cribbed the flat.
There's a deal of glass about, phr. (common).—1. Applied to vulgar display = 'It's the thing' (q.v.).
2. (common).—Said in answer to an achievement in assertion. A memory of the proverb, 'People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.'
Who's to pay for the broken glass? verb. phr. (colloquial).—See Stand the Racket.
Been looking through a glass, adv. phr. (common).—Drunk. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.
Glass-eyes, subs. (old).—A man wearing spectacles; four-eyes (q.v.); gig-lamps (q.v.).
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
Glass-house. To live in a
glass house, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To
lay oneself open to
attack or adverse criticism.
Glass-work, subs. (card-sharpers').—An
obsolete method of cheating
at cards. A convex mirror
the size of a small coin was
fastened with shellac to the lower
corner of the left palm opposite
the thumb, enabling the dealer to
ascertain by reflection the value
of the cards he dealt.
Glaze, subs. (old),—A window.
1690. B. E., Dict. of the Cant. Crew, s.v.
1714. Memoirs of John Hall (4th ed.), p. 12. Glaze, a Window.
1754. Discoveries of John Poulter, p. 43. Undub the Jeger and jump the glaze.
1852. Snowden, Mag. Assistant (3rd ed.), p. 445. A window, glaze.
c. 1830. Finish to Tom and Jerry [1872], p. 82. A random shot milling the glaze.
Verb (old).—To cheat at cards. See quot. and Glass-work.
1821. P. Egan, Real Life, I., 297. If you take the broads in hand in their company, you are sure to be work'd, either by glazing, that is, putting you in front of a looking glass, by which means your hand is discovered by your antagonist, or by private signals from the pal.
