3. (old).—Base money.
Mahogany flats, subs. phr. (common).—Bed-bugs. For synonyms, see Norfolk Howards.
Flats and Sharps, subs. phr.
(old).—Weapons.
1818. Scott, Heart of Midlothian, ch. xxx. 'I have known many a pretty lad cut short in his first summer upon the road, because he was something hasty with his flats and sharps.'
Flatten Out, verb. phr. (American).—To
get the better of (in
argument or fight). For synonyms,
see Floor. Flattened-out
= ruined; beaten.
Flatter-trap, subs. (common).—The
mouth. Fr., la menteuse,
but for synonyms, see Potato-trap.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, or Rogue's Lexicon, s.v.
Flatty-ken, subs. (thieves')—See
quot.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, vol. I., p. 261. Some take up their abode in what they call flatty-kens, that is, houses the landlord of which is not 'awake' or 'fly' to the 'moves' and dodges of the trade.
Flawed, ppl. adj. (common).—1.
Half drunk; 'a little crooked';
quick-tempered.—Grose. For
synonyms, see Drinks and
Screwed.
2. (venery).—'Cracked in the ring'; i.e., deflowered.
Flay (or flay the fox), verb.
phr. (old).—To vomit: 'from the
subject to the effect,' says Cotgrave;
'for the flaying of so
stinking a beast is like enough to
make them spue that feel it.'
Now, to shoot the cat. For
synonyms, see Accounts and
Cast up Accounts. Cf., Fox,
verb, sense 1.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, bk. I., ch. xi. He would flay the fox.
2. (American).—To clean out by unfair means.
To flay or skin a flint, verb. phr. (old).—To be mean or miserly. See Skinflint.
1690. B. E., New Dict. of the Canting Crew, s.v. He'll flay or skinn a flint of a Meer Scrat or Miser.
1833. Marryat, Peter Simple, vol. II., p. 194 (ed. 1846). Report says she would skin a flint if she could.
Flaybottom or Flaybottomist,
subs. (common).—A schoolmaster,
with a play on the word
phlebotomist = a blood-letter.—Grose.
Fr., fouette-cul; and
(Cotgrave) "Fesse-cul, a pedantical
whip-arse."
Flavour, to catch (or get)
the flavour. verb. phr.
(common).—1. To be intoxicated.
For synonyms, see
Drinks and Screwed.
2. (venery). To be 'half-on' for coition; to wax proud (q.v.): said of men and women both.
Flax, verb. (American).—To beat
severely; to give it hot (q.v.).
For synonyms, see Tan.
Flax-wench, subs. (old).—A
prostitute. For synonyms, see
Barrack-hack and Tart.
1604. Shakspeare, Winter's Tale, i., 2. My wife's a hobby-horse; deserves a name As rank as any flax-wench.
