1886. J. C. Sikes in N. and Q. 7. S. i. 306. A new measure of drink, enough to keep a man tipsy from Saturday to Sunday night, is universally known throughout Wales as a John Roberts. It derives its name from the author of the Sunday Closing Act. See Standard, March 11.
John the Baptist, subs. phr. (American).—See
quot.
1888. Arkansas Traveller, Oct. Mebbe he gwine ter gimme a John de Baptist—dat's one cent—but mos likely he gwineter jis' give thanks.
John Thomas, subs. (common).—1.
Generic for a flunkey.
1883. Echo, April 18, p. 1, col. 5. Pity the sorrows of a poor flunkey!. . . Who would have thought, to see John Thomas . . . sunning himself on the forms provided for his use outside the shops in Regent Street, that he was a sufferer from many hours of confinement in doors.
2. (venery).—The penis. For synonyms see Creamstick and Prick.
John (or Joan) Thomson's Man,
subs. phr. (Old Scot's).—An uxorious,
or faithful, husband.
d.1513. Dunbar, 'To the King', in Poems (S.T.S. Edinburgh, 1884-5, ii. 318-19. God gif ye war John Thomsouns man.
John Trot, subs. (common).—A
clown: also John Cream.
d.1774. Goldsmith, Poems. John Trot was desired by two witty pens To tell them the reason why asses had ears.
Join, verb. (colloquial).—To marry.
To join giblets (venery) = to
copulate.
1892. Tit Bits, 17 Sept. 419, 1. We've come to be jined.
Joint, subs. (American).—1. An
opium den; a gambling saloon;
a low class drinking house of any
kind.
2. (thieves').—See quot.
1885. Daily Telegraph, August 18, p. 3, col. 2. This class of thieves, when they agree on a partnership or joint, as the slang phrase is, work one for the other as they best can.
To work the joint, verb. phr. (thieves').—To swindle by means of a 'faked' lottery table.
Joker, subs. (common).—1. A general
term of banter; a 'nice un';
as Cove, Codger, Tulip.
1665. Pepys, Diary, Feb. 15. At noon, with Creed to the Trinity-house where a very good dinner among the old jokers.
1833. Marryat, P. Simple, ii. 'That's what you'll learn to do, my joker, before you've been two cruises to sea'.
1882. Daily News, Oct. 4, p. 2, col. 4. Her screams brought her husband downstairs, when the prisoner said, 'My joker, I want you.'
1892. Anstey, Voces Populi, p. 121. No 'urry, old man—this joker 'aint arf finished with me yet.
2. (American).—An extra card used in certain games. It is blank or bears some special device. It is always a trump and generally the highest. Often called jolly joker.
1894. St. James's Gazette, 19 July [quoted in Saturday Review, July 26]. 'The game of poker is played with a pack of fifty-three cards, the fifty-third card being called the joker.—Ibid., 'It is true that American manufacturers of playing cards are wont to include a blank card at the top of the pack; and it is, alas! true that some thrifty person suggested that the card should not be wasted. This was the origin of the JOKER.'
1885. J. B. Greenough, Queen of Hearts, iii. The White Knight, called the joker, otherwise the Best Bower.
3. (American political).—See quot.
1895. Review of Reviews, 15 Jan., p. 70. The little jokers were used. (We have one of these jokers in our possession.) These little jokers were
