Heading
the porter, had letters, or, what was even more delightful, a cargo (a hamper of game or eatables from home).
1883. Every-day Life in our Public Schools. Scholars may supplement their fare with jam, potted meats . . . or, better still, from the contents of cargoes, i.e., hampers from home.
Carler, subs. (New York thieves').—A
clerk. For synonyms, see
Quill-driver.
Carlicues.—See Curlycues.
Carney or Carny, subs. (colloquial).—Soothing
and seductive
flattery; language covering a
design. [The origin is unknown,
though some have conjectured the
word to be of Irish derivation.
As a verb it first appears as a
dialecticism, and is now mostly
in use as a ppl. adj.—carneying
(q.v.). The word, however,
seems to be fast making its way
into respectable usage, and is
even now largely in literary use.]
Verb, tr. and intrans.—To wheedle; coax or insinuate oneself; to act in a cajoleing manner.—See Carneying.
Carneying, ppl. adj. (common).—In
a wheedling, coaxing, or insinuating
manner. Cf., Carney.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. II., p. 566. When I tried to turn 'em off they'd say, in a carnying way, 'Oh, let us stay on,' so I never took no heed of 'em.
1869. H. J. Byron, Not such a Fool as He Looks [French's Acting ed.], p, 12. Sharp old skinflint, downy old robber as he is, he's under Jane Mould's thumb, and well he knows it. (In carneying voice) With many thanks, sir, for your kind attention to my case.
1871. Daily Telegraph, 15 May, 'Critique on Mr. H. J. Byron's Play of An English Gentleman.' Rachel does not like Brandon's carneying ways.
1884. R. L. Stevenson in Eng. Illustr. Mag., Feb., p. 305. The female dog, that mass of carneying affectations.
1885. Clement Scott, in Ill. Lon. News, 3 Oct., p. 339, 2. The change from the carneying, wheedling sneak to the cowardly bully, is extremely clever.
Carnish, subs. (thieves').—Meat.
[From the Italian carne, flesh,
through the Lingua Franca.
Carne, in French argot, signifies
tough meat.]
French Synonyms. La crie, crigne, or crignolle (thieves': Old Cant; Greek, [Greek: kreas]; Four-*besque, crea, creata, creatura, criulfa; Germania, crioja); la criolle (thieves'); la niorte (thieves'); la barbaque or bidoche (popular); le choléra (popular = bad meat); le mastic (= bread or meat).
German Synonyms. Kärner (this is the same as carnish and comes from the Italian carne; Kärnerfetzer = a butcher).
Italian Synonyms. Bronco (specially applied to beef); slavigna; crea (see remarks under crie in French synonyms).
Carnish-Ken, subs. (thieves').—A
thieves' eating house, or prog-shop.
[From carnish, meat,
through the Italian carne, +
ken, a house or dwelling.] A
French equivalent for the proprietor
of such a place is un fripier,
a term which also means a cook,
a 'dripping' or old clothes' man.
Carny.—See Carney.
Caroon, subs. (costermongers').—A
five shilling piece. [Hotten and
Barrère trace it to the French
couronne, Spanish and Italian
