Heading
Chaffer, subs. (colloquial).—1. One given to chaffing. [From CHAFF (q.v.) + ER.]
1851-61. H. Mayhew, London Labour and London Poor, vol. I., p. 357. She was considered to be the best CHAFFER on the road; not one of them could stand against her tongue.
1877. Temple Bar, p. 536. An actor of very moderate abilities, and so remarkably ill-favoured in person as to be the constant butt of the CHAFFERS in the pit.
2. (popular).—The mouth, [i.e., the organ of chaff, or 'ropery.'] For synonyms, see Potato-trap. Also, the tongue.
1821. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, Act ii., Sc. 3. Bob. Suppose we haves a drain o' heavy wet, just by way of cooling our CHAFFERS—mine's as dry as a chip.
1822. David Carey, Life in Paris, p. 194. For there you may damp your CHAFFER In fifty different ways.
To Moisten One's Chaffer, phr. (common).—To drink. [See Chaffer, sense 2.] For synonyms, see Lush.
Chaffing-Crib, subs. (old).—The
place where a man receives his intimates;
his 'den,' 'snuggery,'
or 'diggings.' [Cf., Chaff.
From CHAFFING, light talk, +
CRIB, a place of sojourning.] For
synonyms, see Diggings.
1821. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry. Jerry. Chaffing crib! I'm at fault, coz, can't follow. Tom. My prattling parlour—my head quarters, coz, where I unbend with my pals.
Chaffy, adj. (colloquial).—Full of
banter. [From CHAFF, subs.,
+Y.]
1889. Bird o' Freedom, Aug 7, p. 3. CHAFFY answers were all he got at first.
Chained or Chain Lightning,
subs.—(American).—Whiskey of
the vilest description—a spirit
'warranted to kill at forty rods.'
Hence FORTY ROD LIGHTNING,
STONE-FENCE, RAILROAD, ROT-GUT,
and KILL-THE-CARTER
(Scots). For synonyms, see
Drinks. In the Western States
of America, what is known as
forked lightning in England, is
called CHAIN-LIGHTNING, from
its forming a sequence of zig-zags.
1871. De Vere, Americanisms p. 215. The worst of lickers, as the sign-*boards often have it in unconscious irony, is called CHAIN-LIGHTNING, from its terrible strength and stunning effect.
Chain-Gang, subs. (thieves').—Jewellers;
watch-chain makers.
The French argot has un boguiste
(thieves') and un chaîniste.
Chair. To put in the chair,
phr. (cab-drivers').—See quot.
1864. Social Science Review, I., 408. A Justice's order is sufficient for the committal to prison of a cab hirer (driver) who will not or cannot pay. . . . Some hirers who become inured to prison discipline and prison fare get altogether hardened, and boast of the number of owners whom they have PUT IN THE CHAIR or in polite English neglected to pay.
Chairmarking, verbal subs. (cab-owners').—Inserting
the date in
a cab-driver's licence in words
instead of figures: or, endorsing
it in an unusually bold, heavy
hand: a hint to possible employers
that the holder is undesirable.
In other trades it is
understood that an unexceptionable
character, with the adjectives
carefully underlined, is to be read
as implying just the opposite of
what it appears to say.
1890. Pall Mall Gazette, Sept. 15. A correspondent writes to protest against the heading 'A Cabman's Odd Complaint,' which was given in these columns on Saturday to a paragraph concerning the CHAIR-MARKING of a licence.
