Part 86 (1/2)

WHINYARD. A sword.

TO WHIP THE c.o.c.k. A piece of sport practised at wakes, horse-races, and fairs in Leicesters.h.i.+re: a c.o.c.k being tied or fastened into a hat or basket, half a dozen carters blindfolded, and armed with their cart whips, are placed round it, who, after being turned thrice about, begin to whip the c.o.c.k, which if any one strikes so as to make it cry out, it becomes his property; the joke is, that instead of whipping the c.o.c.k they flog each other heartily.

WHIP JACKS. The tenth order of the canting crew, rogues who having learned a few sea terms, beg with counterfeit pa.s.ses, pretending to be sailors s.h.i.+pwrecked on the neighbouring coast, and on their way to the port from whence they sailed.

TO WHIP OFF. To run away, to drink off greedily, to s.n.a.t.c.h. He whipped away from home, went to the alehouse, where he whipped off a full tankard, and coming back whipped off a fellow's hat from his head.

WHIP-BELLY VENGEANCE, or pinch-gut vengeance, of which he that gets the most has the worst share. Weak or sour beer.

WHIPPER-SNAPPER. A diminutive fellow.

WHIPs.h.i.+RE. Yorks.h.i.+re.

WHIPSTER. A sharp or subtle fellow.

WHIPT SYLLABUB. A flimsy, frothy discourse or treatise, without solidity.

WHIRLYGIGS. t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es.

WHISKER. A great lie.

WHISKER SPLITTER. A man of intrigue.

WHISKIN. A shallow brown drinking bowl.

WHISKY. A malt spirit much drank in Ireland and Scotland; also a one-horse chaise. See TIM WHISKY.

WHISTLE. The throat. To wet one's whistle; to drink.

WHISTLING SHOP. Rooms in the King's Bench and Fleet prison where drams are privately sold.

WHIT. [i. e. Whittington's.] Newgate. Cant.--Five rum-padders are rubbed in the darkmans out of the whit, and are piked into the deuseaville; five highwaymen broke out of Newgate in the night, and are gone into the country.

WHITE RIBBIN. Gin.

WHITE FEATHER. He has a white feather; he is a coward; an allusion to a game c.o.c.k, where having a white leather is a proof he is not of the true game breed.

WHITE-LIVERED. Cowardly, malicious.

WHITE LIE. A harmless lie, one not told with a malicious intent, a lie told to reconcile people at variance.

WHITE SERJEANT. A man fetched from the tavern or ale-house by his wife, is said to be arrested by the white serjeant.

WHITE SWELLING. A woman big with child is said to have a white swelling.

WHITE TAPE. Geneva.

WHITE WOOL. Geneva.

WHITECHAPEL. Whitechapel portion; two smocks, and what nature gave. Whitechapel breed; fat, ragged, and saucy: see ST. GILES'S BREED. Whitechapel beau; one who dresses with a needle and thread, and undresses with a knife. To play at whist Whitechapel fas.h.i.+on; i.e. aces and kings first.

WHITEWASHED. One who has taken the benefit of an act of insolvency, to defraud his creditors, is said to have been whitewashed.