Heading
1839. W. H. Ainsworth, J. Sheppard, p. 126, ed. 1840. 'The devil,' ejaculated Jonathan. 'Here's a cross-bite.'
Cross-Buttock, subs. (athletics').—A
peculiar throw in wrestling.
Also used as a verb and verbal
subs.
1690. D'Urfey, Collin's Walk, c. ii., p. 74. When th' hardy Major, skilled in Wars, To make quick end of fight prepares, By Strength or'e buttock cross to hawl him, And with a trip i' th' Inturn maul him.
1742. 'Handbill,' in P. Egan's Boxiana, vol. I., p. 45. I doubt not but I shall prove the truth of what I have asserted, by pegs, darts, hard blows, falls, and cross-buttocks.
1760. Smollett, L. Greaves, vol. II., ch. viii. He was on his legs again . . . but, instead of accomplishing his purpose, he received a cross-buttock.
1836. M. Scott, Cringle's Log, ch. xii. While the old woman keelhauled me with a poker on one side, he jerked at me on the other, until at length he gave me a regular cross-buttock.
1860. Chambers' Journal, vol. XIII., p. 347. He is initiated into all the mysteries of 'hitting' and 'counterhitting,' 'stopping' and 'infighting,' 'the suit in chancery, and the cross-buttock.'
Cross-Chap.—See Cross, subs.,
sense 2.
Cross-Cove.—See Cross, subs.,
sense 2.
Cross-Crib, subs. (thieves' and
vagrants').—A thieves' hotel.
[From cross (q.v., subs., sense
2), a thief, + crib (q.v., subs.,
sense 2), a place of abode.]
Cross-Drum, subs. (thieves').—A
thieves' tavern. [From cross
(q.v., subs., sense 2), a thief, +
drum, a house or lodging.]
Crosser, subs. (sporting).—One
who arranges or takes part in
a cross (q.v., subs., sense 1).
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood. The mill is o'er, the crosser crost, The loser's won, the vinner's lost!
Cross-Fan or Cross-Fam, subs.
(thieves').—Robbery from the
person done cross-fammed, that
is, with one hand (fam) across,
and dissembling the action of, the
other.
c. 1869. Broadside Ballad, The Chickaleary Cove.' Off to Paris I shall go, to show a thing or two, To the 'dipping blokes' what hangs about the caffies, How to do a cross-fan for a 'super' or a 'slang.'
Verb (thieves').—To rob from the person.—See subs.
Cross-Kid or Cross-Quid, verb
(thieves').—To question; cross-examine.
[Kid = to quiz; hoax,
or jest.] Fr., faire la jactance;
also faire saigner du nez.
1879. J. W. Horsley, in Macmillan's Mag., XL., 502. A reeler [policeman] came to the cell and cross-kidded (examined) me.
Cross-Man.—See Cross, subs.,
sense 2.
Cross-Patch, subs. (colloquial).—An
ill-natured, ill-tempered
person. As in the old nursery
rhyme :
Cross-patch, Draw the latch, Sit by the fire and spin.—Lit.
Not mentioned in Ash.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue. Cross-patch: a peevish boy or girl.
1841. Comic Almanack, p. 258. Miss Pigeon's trying to look shy, He's calling her crosspatch!
Cross the Damp-Pot, verbal phr.
(tailors').—To cross the Atlantic.—Cf.,
Big drink, Damp-pot,
puddle, and Herring-pond.
