Heading
Cover-arse Gown, subs. phr. (Univ., obsolete).—A gown without sleeves.
1803. Gradus ad Cantabrigiam, s.v.
Cover-Down, subs. (thieves').—An
obsolete term for a false tossing
coin.—See Cap.
Cover-Me-Decently, verbal phr.
(old).—A coat. For synonyms,
See Capella.
1821. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, p. 5. (Dicks' ed., 1889.) Tom. This, what do you call it?—this cover-me-decently, was all very well at Hawthorn Hall, I daresay.
Covess, subs. (old).—A woman.—See
Cove.
1789. Geo. Parker, Life's Painter, p. 144. He was well acquainted with the cove and covess.
1827. Sir E. B. Lytton, Pelham, p. 310 (ed. 1864). Ah, Bess my covess, strike me blind if my sees don't tout your bingo muns in spite of the darkmans.
Covey, subs. (common).—A man;
a diminutive of cove (q.v.).
1821. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, Act iii., Sc. 3. Tom. Well there's a flimsy for you; serve the change out in max to the covies.
1837. Dickens, Oliver Twist, ch. viii. Upon this, the boy crossed over; and, walking close up to Oliver, said, 'Hullo, my covey! what's the row?'
1854. Aytoun and Martin, The Bon Gaultier Ballads. 'The Laureate's Tourney.' 'Undo the helmet! cut the lace! pour water oh his head!' 'It ain't no use at all, my lord; 'cos vy? the covey's dead.'
1876. C. Hindley, Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 19. Ah! Ah! you half-starved, hungry, ugly-looking covey, why, if they had you in the country where I came from they'd boil you down for the pigs.
Cow, subs. (old).—1. A woman.
The term is now opprobrious;
but in its primary and natural
sense the usage is ancient.
Howell [1659] says: 'There are
some proverbs that carry a kind
of authority with them, as that
which began in Henrie the
Fourth's time. "He that bulls
the cow must keep the calf."'
For synonyms, see Petticoat.
2. (general).—A prostitute. [By analogy from sense 1.] Fr., une vache. For synonyms, see Barrack-hack and Tart.
3. (sporting).—A thousand pounds. Other slang terms for sums of money are:—
Pony = £25. Century = £100. Monkey = £500. Plum = £100,000. Marigold = £1,000,000.
but for complete list, see Monkey.
1870. Athenæum, 10 Sept. 'Liverpool.' All over Lancashire a horse is called a cow, which everywhere else where slang prevails is a cant term for a thousand pounds.
To talk the hind leg off a cow of dog.—See Talk.
Tune the cow died of.—See Tune.
Cowan, subs. (common).—A sneak
or prying individual. Among
masons the uninitiate in general.
Cow-and-Calf, verb (rhyming
slang).—To laugh.
Coward's-Castle or Corner,
subs. phr. (popular).—A pulpit.
[Because a clergyman may deliver
himself therefrom without fear of
contradiction or argument.] For
synonyms, see Hum-box.
1883. Notes and Queries, 6 S., viii., p. 147. Coward's Castle. . . . An epithet . . . in use not inaptly for a
