Heading
ing to find that several of its popular names have reference to this weakness. It is called a bandy, a 'bender,' a cripple.
2. (common).—An awkward oaf; also a dullard. Fr., malapatte (popular: properly mal à la patte). [Figurative for one that creeps, limps, or halts—whether physically or mentally.] Cf., sense 3, and Go it, you cripples.
3. (Wellington College).—A dolt; literally one without a leg to stand on. Cf., sense 2, and Go it, you cripples.
Go it, you cripples! phr. (general).—A sarcastic comment on strenuous effort; frequently used without much sense of fitness; e.g., when the person addressed is a capable athlete. Wooden legs are cheap is sometimes added as an intensitive.
1840. Thackeray, Cox's Diary. 'Striking a balance,' p. 229. 'O! come along.' said Lord Lollypop, 'come along this way, ma'am! Go it, ye cripples.
Crisp, subs. (popular).—A banknote.
For synonyms, see Soft.
Crispin, subs. (common).—A shoemaker.
[From Saints Crispin
and Crispianus, the patrons of the
'gentle craft,' i.e., shoemaking.]
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1861. Punch, vol. XLI., p. 246. Crispin, everybody knows to be a name for a shoemaker.
St. Crispin's Lance, subs. phr. (old).—An awl. [From Crispin (q.v.) + lance, a weapon.] Fr., une lance.
Crispin's Holiday, subs. phr.(old).—Every Monday throughout the year, but most particularly the 25th of October, being the anniversary of Crispinus and Crispianus.
Croak, subs. (thieves').—A dying
speech, especially the confession
of a murderer. Also the same
as printed for sale in the streets
by a 'flying stationer.
[From the verbal sense (q.v.).]
1887. A. Barrère, Argot and Slang, p. 272. The criminal . . . would perhaps utter for the edification of the crowd his 'tops, or croaks,' that is, his last dying speech.
1887. W. E. Henley, Villon's Straight Tip. Go crying croaks, or flash the drag.
Verb.—To die. For synonyms, see Aloft.
Croaker, subs. (old).—1. A sixpence.
For synonyms, see Bender.
2. (old).—A beggar.
1857. Snowden, Mag. Assistant, 3 ed., p. 444, s.v.
3. (common).—A dying person.—See Croak, verbal sense.
4. (common).—A corpse. [From croak, verb. sense, through croaker, senses 2 and 3.] For synonyms, see Dead-meat.
5. (provincial).—See quot.
1886. Ulster Echo, 31 July, p. 4. The inspector of nuisances said the meat was known as croaker, or the flesh of an animal which had died a natural death.
6. (prison).—A doctor [connected with crocus, but influenced by croaker, subs., senses 2, 3, and 4.]
1889. Evening News [quoted in Slang, Jargon, and Cant]. One man who had put his name for the 'butcher' or croaker, would suddenly find that he had three ounces of bread less to receive, and then a scene would ensue.
