Heading
Coffee-Mill, subs. (old).—The mouth: a 'grinder' itself, and furnished with 'grinders'—American 'cogs,'—as well. For synonyms, see Potato-trap.
1821. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, Act ii., Sc. 2. Gas. Come, come, silence your coffee-mill.
Coffee-Milling, subs. phr. (common).—1.
Grinding; working
hard. Cf., To COCK SNOOKS (see
Snooks) or 'take a sight' by
putting the thumb of one hand to
the nose and grinding the little
finger with the other, as if you
worked an imaginary coffee mill.
1837. Dickens, Pickwick, p. 249.
1854. Aytoun and Martin, The Bon Gaultier Ballads. 'The Lay of the Lovelorn.' When I went the pace so wildly, caring little what might come, Coffee-milling care and sorrow, with a nose-*adapted thumb.
Coffins, subs. (Stock Exchange).—The
Funeral Furnishing Company's
Shares.
Another nail in one's coffin.—See Nail.
Cog, subs. (American thieves').—A
tooth.—Matsell [1859]. Cf.,
Coffee-mill.
Coke. Go and Eat Coke, verb.
phr. (vulgar).—A phrase indicative
of contempt. A
corollary is 'and evacuate, or
s—t cinders.'
Coker, subs. (old).—A lie.—Grose
[1785]. For synonyms, see
Whopper.
Colchester Clocks, subs.
(streets').—A breed of large
oysters.
1865. Daily Telegraph, 13 Sep. For the big, uncompromising Colchester clock, which we see on stalls and shudder at, with unlimited vinegar and pepper, the East-ender willingly gives his penny.
Cold. To have a bad cold,
verbal phr. (common).—Said of
one who keeps his door closed
against all comers for fear of
duns; also of one who has 'shot
the moon.' Also of one that has
taken clap.
1863. Chambers' Journal, vol. XX., p. 5. 'It's no good your ringing, remarked the book-boy, when I had discovered that fact for myself;' 'Mr. Cranium ain't at home, he ain't. He's got a werry bad cold.' After a few minutes, however, and many genial impertinences, I discovered that having a bad cold means, in Camden Town, being in debt, while a very bad cold implies that the sufferer has taken clandestine departure from his lodgings.
TO LEAVE OUT IN THE COLD, verbal phr.—To neglect; shut out, or abandon.
1861. New York Tribune, July, The 'Assents' continue to come in freely at the Erie Railroad office; and the appearances are that at the closing of the books . . . there will be few shares or bonds LEFT OUT IN THE COLD.
Cold Blood, subs. (licensed victuallers').—A
house licensed for the
sale of beer 'not to be drunk on
the premises.'
Cold Coffee, subs. phr. (Oxford
University).—1. A sell; a hoax;
a trumpery affair.
2. (common).—Misfortune; ill-luck. A variant is cold GRUEL; also TO HAVE ONE'S comb cut; in French, to experience a run of ill-luck is expressed by être abonné au guignon; literally 'to become a subscriber to ill-luck'; in Spanish, dar al traste con los negocios, signifies, colloquially, 'to fail' or 'to be unfortunate in business.'
