Heading
1781. G. Parker, View of Society, II., 74. This alteration is called christening, and the watch thus transformed faces the world without fear of detection.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1857. Snowden, Mag. Assistant, 3 ed., p. 444. To alter the maker's name in a watch—to christen a yack.
1868. Doran, Saint and Sinn., II., 290. The pietist thieves . . . christen daily as soon as they have stolen a watch. This thieves' christening consists in erasing the maker's name and supplying another. [m.]
1872. Standard, 'Middlesex Sessions Report.' William Miller, the detective officer in the case, being called upon by the judge to state what he knew of the prisoner, said he knew him by his trade as a baker, but he mixed up with watch thieves and housebreakers, and the tools found in his possession he used for christening stolen watches and putting new bows to them.
2. (colloquial).—To mix water with wine; to mix liquors generally. Fr., Maquiller le vitriol = to adulterate brandy; monter sur le tonneau (vinters' = to add water to a cask of wine). A Spanish equivalent is exactly translated bautizar el vino. To drown the miller (q.v.), = to add too much water.
1824. Scott, Redgauntlet, let. xiii. We'll christen him with the brewer (here he added a little small beer to his beverage).
3. (low).—To souse from a chamber utensil.
4. (common).—To take a dram; or 'do a drain,' in celebration of something, as the purchase of a new pair of boots, a removal, etc.
Christian, subs. (common).—A
good fellow; a decent or presentable
person. [A human being as
distinguished from the brute creation,
in which sense it is used by
Shakspeare; the modern slang
usage was apparently introduced
by Dickens.]—See quots. in
various senses.
1595. Shakspeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act iii., Sc. 1, 272. Thee hath more qualities than a Water-Spaniell, which is much in a bare Christian.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, Christian: a tradesman who has faith, i.e., will give credit.
1843. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, xxxiv. You must take your passage like a Christian; at least, as like a Christian as a fore-cabin passenger can.
1859. Times, 20 April. Grey parrot for sale, the property of a lady. She talks like a Christian, and is in first-rate condition. Price, including cage. £15. Apply, etc., etc.
Adj. (common).—Decent; respectable, etc.—[See subs.]
Christian Pony, subs. phr. (old
Irish slang).—The chairman or
president of a meeting.
Christians, subs. pl. (Cambridge
Univ.).—Members of Christ's
College.—[Of obvious derivation.]
Christmas, Christmassing, subs.
and verbal subs. (colloquial).—Holly
and mistletoe.
1836. C. Dickens, Pickwick Papers, p. 228 (ed. 1857). The fat boy pointed to the destination of the pies. 'Wery good,' said Sam, 'stick a bit o' Christmas in 'em.'
1851. H. Mayhew, Lon. Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 141. In London a large trade is carried on in Christmasing, or in the sale of holly and mistletoe for Christmas sports and decorations. . . . 'Look,' said a gardener to me, 'what's spent on a Christmasing the churches!'
Chuck, subs. (prison).—1. Bread;
meat; in fact, refreshment of
any kind.
1850. Lloyd's Newspaper, Oct. 6. 'Inquest on murder of Rev. Mr. Hollest, Frimley Grove, Surrey.' Macey, the village constable, stated that the prisoner,
