Part 13 (1/2)

CAT AND BAGPIPEAN SOCIETY. A society which met at their office in the great western road: in their summons, published in the daily papers, it was added, that the kittens might come with the old cats without being scratched.

CAT CALL. A kind of whistle, chiefly used at theatres, to interrupt the actors, and d.a.m.n a new piece. It derives its name from one of its sounds, which greatly resembles the modulation of an intriguing boar cat.

CAT HARPING FAs.h.i.+ON. Drinking cross-ways, and not, as usual, over the left thumb. SEA TERM.

CAT IN PAN. To turn cat in pan, to change sides or parties; supposed originally to have been to turn CATE or CAKE in pan.

CAT'S FOOT. To live under the cat's foot; to be under the dominion of a wife hen-pecked. To live like dog and cat; spoken of married persons who live unhappily together.

As many lives as a cat; cats, according to vulgar naturalists, have nine lives, that is one less than a woman.

No more chance than a cat in h.e.l.l without claws; said of one who enters into a dispute or quarrel with one greatly above his match.

CAT LAP. Tea, called also scandal broth. See SCANDAL BROTH.

CAT MATCH. When a rook or cully is engaged amongst bad bowlers.

CAT OF NINE TAILS. A scourge composed of nine strings of whip-cord, each string having nine knots.

CAT'S PAW. To be made a cat's paw of; to be made a tool or instrument to accomplish the purpose of another: an allusion to the story of a monkey, who made use of a cat's paw to scratch a roasted chesnut out of the fire.

CAT'S SLEEP. Counterfeit sleep: cats often counterfeiting sleep, to decoy their prey near them, and then suddenly spring on them.

CAT STICKS. Thin legs, compared to sticks with which boys play at cat. See TRAPSTICKS.

CAT WHIPPING, or WHIPPING THE CAT. A trick often practised on ignorant country fellows, vain of their strength, by laying a wager with them that they may be pulled through a pond by a cat. The bet being made, a rope is fixed round the waist of the party to be catted, and the end thrown across the pond, to which the cat is also fastened by a packthread, and three or four st.u.r.dy fellows are appointed to lead and whip the cat; these on a signal given, seize the end of the cord, and pretending to whip the cat, haul the astonished b.o.o.by through the water.--To whip the cat, is also a term among tailors for working jobs at private houses, as practised in the country.

CATAMARAN. An old scraggy woman; from a kind of float made of spars and yards lashed together, for saving s.h.i.+p-wrecked persons.

CATCH CLUB. A member of the patch club; a b.u.m bailiff.

CATCH FART. A footboy; so called from such servants commonly following close behind their master or mistress.

CATCH PENNY. Any temporary contrivance to raise a contribution on the public.

CATCH POLE. A b.u.m bailiff, or sheriff's officer.

CATCHING HARVEST. A dangerous time for a robbery, when many persons are on the road, on account of a horse-race, fair, or some other public meeting.

CATER COUSINS. Good friends. He and I are not cater cousins, i.e. we are not even cousins in the fourth degree, or four times removed; that is, we have not the least friendly connexion.

CATERPILLAR. A nick name for a soldier. In the year 1745, a soldier quartered at a house near Derby, was desired by his landlord to call upon him, whenever he came that way; for, added he, soldiers are the pillars of the nation. The rebellion being finished, it happened the same regiment was quartered in Derbys.h.i.+re, when the soldier resolved to accept of his landlord's invitation, and accordingly obtained leave to go to him: but, on his arrival, he was greatly surprised to find a very cold reception; whereupon expostulating with his landlord, he reminded him of his invitation, and the circ.u.mstance of his having said, soldiers were the pillars of the nation. If I did, answered the host, I meant CATERpiliars.

CATERWAULING. Going out in the night in search of intrigues, like a cat in the gutters.

CATHEDRAL. Old-fas.h.i.+oned. An old cathedral-bedstead, chair, &c.

CATTLE. Sad cattle: wh.o.r.es or gypsies. Black cattle, bugs. CANT.

CAVAULTING SCHOOL. A Bawdy-house.

CAUDGE-PAWED. Left-handed.