Heading
a cauliflower; modish in the time of Queen Anne.
2. (old).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.
3. (popular).—The foaming head of a tankard of beer. In France, a glass of beer without any head is termed un bock sans linge or sans faux-col.
1882. Daily Telegraph, Oct. 10, p. 5, col. 4. This gave the porter a fine frothy or cauliflower head, [m.]
4. (military).—In plural.—The Forty-seventh Regiment of Foot, so called from its white facings. It is also known as The Lancashire Lads from its county title.
Caulk, subs. and verb (nautical).—
1. Sleep; to sleep. In substantive
form it sometimes appears
as caulking. To caulk
formerly meant 'to pick out a
soft plank,' i.e., to lie down on
deck; to sleep with one's clothes
on. [Cf., Bundling.]
1836. Marryat, Midshipman Easy, ch. xix. But it's no go with old Smallsole, if I want a bit of caulk.
1851. Chambers' Papers, No. 52, p. 30. Sleeping upon deck is called, I know not why, calking
2. Verb.—To cease; to shut up; i.e., to stop one's talk or leave off talking. [This usage is obviously derived from the legitimate meaning of the word, to stop up crevices and seams.] For synonyms, see Stow it.
3. (common).—To copulate; to do the 'act of kind.' For synonyms, see Ride.
Caulker, subs. (common).—1. A
dram; a stiff glass of grog—generally
applied to a finishing
bumper. When this happens
to be sherry and follows the
drinking of red wines it is called
a whitewash (q.v.). [There
are three suggested derivations:
(1) that it is a punning reference
to caulking, that which serves to
keep out the wet; (2) because
such a draught takes a deal of
swallowing; and (3) that it is a
corruption of CORKER (q.v.), a
regular stopper.] For synonyms,
see Go.
1808. J. Mayne, Siller Gun, 89 (Jam.). The magistrates wi' loyal din, Tak off their cau'kers. [m.]
1836. M. Scott, Cruise of the Midge, ch vi. We . . . finished off with a caulker of good cognac.
1849. C. Kingsley, Alton Locke, ch. xxi. 'Take a caulker? Summat heavy, then?'
1871. A. Forbes, My Experiences of the War between France and Germany, II., p. 201. The Mobile officer joins us heartily in a caulker, and does not need to be pressed to take a little supper.
1884. W. C. Russell, Jack's Courtship, ch. viii. The caulker of rum served out under the break of the poop by the light of a bull's-eye lamp.
2. (popular).—A lie; anything surprising or incredible. For synonyms, see Whopper.
1884. W. C. Russell, Jacks Courtship, ch. xxxi. I also took care that she should never afterwards be able to charge me with having told her a real caulker.
Caution, subs, (popular).—A colloquialism
used both of men and
things. Anything out of the
common, or that conveys a warning;
something wonderful or
staggering; something to be
avoided. Anything that causes
surprise, wonder, fear, or indeed
any uncommon emotion, is a caution
to this, that, or the other.
