Heading
long as it lasts. This freak is not infrequent in the West. In Australia a similar expression is shouting oneself hoarse. (q.v.).
18(?). J. G. Baldwin, David Bolus, Esq. Bolus was no niggard. He would as soon treat a regiment, or charter the grocery for the day, as any other way.
Chasing, verbal subs. (workmens').
See quot.
1884. Rae, Cont. Socialism, 361. This is shown . . . in their prohibition of chasing . . . i.e., of a workman exceeding a given average standard of production. [m.]
Chasse, verb (society).—To dismiss.
[From the French chasser.]
1847. Thackeray, Lords and Liv., III. He was chasséd on the spot. [m.]
1868. Yates, Rock Ahead, I., p. 185. If Lord Ticehurst married, more than half Gilbert Lloyd's influence would be gone, if indeed the turf were not abandoned, and the confederate chasséd.
Chat, subs. (thieves').—1. A house.
For synonyms, see Diggings.
1879. J. W. Horsley, in Macm. Mag., XL., 501. I piped a slavey (servant) come out of a chat (house).
2. (common).—The female pudendum. (From French chat, a cat, and by implication the 'pussy.']
3. (common).—The truth; the real state of a case; the proper words to use; the 'correct card.'
1819. Thomas Moore, Tom Crib's Memorial to Congress, p. 6. And, setting in case there should come such a rumpus, As some mode of settling the chat we must compass, With which the tag-rag will have nothing to do, What think you, great swells, of a royal set-to?
1862. Trollope, Orley Farm, ch. vi. Has the gentleman any right to be in this room at all, or has he not? Is he commercial, or is he—miscellaneous? That's the chat as I take it.
4. (low).—Gabble; chatter; impudence; e.g., None of your chat, or I'll give you a shove in the eye.
Verb.—To hang.—See Chates, sense 1. [This reading, however, is problematical.]
1513. G. Douglas, Æneis, viii., Prol. 126. Quod. I, churle, ga chat the, and chide with ane vthir.
Chates, subs. (old).—1. The gallows,
(Also Chattes and
Chats. ) [Doubtful as to derivation,
see quot. 1610.] For
synonyms, see Nubbing-cheat.
1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 66. Chattes: the gallowes.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 37, (H. Club's Repr., 1874). Chates, the Gallowes: here he [Harman, author of a Caveat for Cursitors-date, c. 1570, reprinted as The Belman of London, containing list of cant words] mistakes both the simple word, because he so found it printed, not knowing the true originall thereof, and also in the compound; as for Chates it should be Cheates, which word is vsed generally for things, as Tip me that Cheate, Give me that thing: so that if you will make a word for the Gallous, you must put thereto this word, Treyning, which signifies hanging; and so Treyning Cheate is as much to say, hanging things, or the Gallous, and not Chates.
1671. R. Head, English Rogue, pt. I., ch. v., p. 48 (1874). Chats: the gallows.
1690. B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1706. E. Coles, Eng. Dict., s.v.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1881. New York Slang Dict., s.v.
2. (old).—Lice. (Also chats and chatts.) [Grose suggests that chatts is an abbreviation of chattels in the sense of cattle—lice being the chief live-stock of beggars, gipsies, and the rest of the canting crew; the his-
