1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue Part 64

RIDING ST. GEORGE. The woman uppermost in the amorous congress, that is, the dragon upon St. George. This is said to be the way to get a bishop.

RIDING SKIMMINGTON. A ludicrous cavalcade, in ridicule of a man beaten by his wife. It consists of a man riding behind a woman, with his face to the horse's tail, holding a distaff in his hand, at which he seems to work, the woman all the while beating him with a ladle; a smock displayed on a staff is carried before them as an emblematical standard, denoting female superiority: they are accompanied by what is called the ROUGH MUSIC, that is, frying-pans, bulls horns, marrow-bones and cleavers, &c. A procession of this kind is admirably described by Butler in his Hudibras.

He rode private, i.e. was a private trooper.

RIFF RAFF. Low vulgar persons, mob, tag-rag and bob-tail.

RIG. Fun, game, diversion, or trick. To run one's rig upon any particular person; to make him a b.u.t.t. I am up to your rig; I am a match for your tricks.

RIGGING. Clothing. I'll unrig the bloss; I'll strip the wench. Rum Rigging; fine clothes. The cull has rum rigging, let's ding him and mill him, and pike; the fellow has good clothes, let's knock him down, rob him, and scour off, i.e. run away.

RIGHT. All right! A favourite expression among thieves, to signify that all is as they wish, or proper for their purpose. All right, hand down the jemmy; every thing is in proper order, give me the crow.

RIGMAROLE. Roundabout, nonsensical. He told a long rigmarole story.

RING. Money procured by begging: beggars so called it from its ringing when thrown to them. Also a circle formed for boxers, wrestlers, and cudgel-players, by a man styled Vinegar; who, with his hat before his eyes, goes round the circle, striking at random with his whip to prevent the populace from crowding in.

TO RING A PEAL. To scold; chiefly applied to women.

His wife rung him a fine peal!

RING THE CHANGES. When a person receives silver in change to s.h.i.+ft some good s.h.i.+llings and put bad ones in their place. The person who gave the change is then requested to give good s.h.i.+llings for these bad ones.

RIP. A miserable rip; a poor, lean, worn-out horse. A shabby mean fellow.

RIPPONS. Spurs: Rippon is famous for a manufactory of spurs both for men and fighting c.o.c.ks.

ROARATORIOS AND UPROARS. Oratorios and operas.

ROARING BOY. A noisy, riotous fellow.

ROARER. A broken-winded horse.

ROARING TRADE. A quick trade.

TO ROAST. To arrest. I'll roast the dab; I'll arrest the rascal.--Also to jeer, ridicule, or banter. He stood the roast; he was the b.u.t.t.--Roast meat clothes; Sunday or holiday-clothes. To cry roast meat; to boast of one's situation. To rule the roast; to be master or paramount.

ROAST AND BOILED. A nick name for the Life Guards, who are mostly substantial house-keepers; and eat daily of roast and boiled.

ROBERT'S MEN. The third old rank of the canting crew, mighty thieves, like Robin Hood.

ROBY DOUGLa.s.s, with one eye and a stinking breath. The breech.

ROCHESTER PORTION. Two torn smocks, and what nature gave.

ROCKED. He was rocked in a stone kitchen; a saying meant to convey the idea that the person spoken of is a fool, his brains having been disordered by the jumbling of his cradle.

ROGER. A portmanteau; also a man's yard. Cant.

ROGER, or TIB OF THE b.u.t.tERY. A goose. Cant. Jolly Roger; a flag hoisted by pirates.

TO ROGER. To bull, or lie with a woman; from the name of Roger being frequently given to a bull.

ROGUES. The fourth order of canters. A rogue in grain; a great rogue, also a corn chandler. A rogue in spirit; a distiller or brandy merchant.

ROGUM POGUM, or DRAGRUM POGRAM. Goat's beard, eaten for asparagus; so called by the ladies who gather cresses, &c. who also deal in this plant.

ROMBOYLES. Watch and ward. Romboyled; sought after with a warrant.

ROME MORT. A queen.

ROMEVILLE. London. Cant.

ROMP. A forward wanton girl, a tomrig. Grey, in his notes to Shakespeare, derives it from arompo, an animal found in South Guinea, that is a man eater. See HOYDEN.

ROOK. A cheat: probably from the thievish disposition of the birds of that name. Also the cant name for a crow used in house-breaking. To rook; to cheat, particularly at play.

ROOM. She lets out her fore room and lies backwards: saying of a woman suspected of prost.i.tution.

ROOST LAY. Stealing poultry.

ROPES. Upon the high ropes; elated, in high spirits, c.o.c.k-a-hoop.

ROSE. Under the rose: privately or secretly. The rose was, it is said, sacred to Harpocrates, the G.o.d of silence, and therefore frequently placed in the ceilings of rooms destined for the receiving of guests; implying, that whatever was transacted there, should not be made public.

ROSY GILLS. One with a sanguine or fresh-coloured countenance.

ROTAN. A coach, cart, or other wheeled carriage.

ROT GUT. Small beer; called beer-a-b.u.mble--will burst one's guts before it will make one tumble.

ROVERS. Pirates, vagabonds.

ROUGH. To lie rough; to lie all night in one's clothes: called also roughing it. Likewise to sleep on the bare deck of a s.h.i.+p, when the person is commonly advised to chuse the softest plank.

ROUGH MUSIC. Saucepans, frying-paps, poker and tongs, marrow-bones and cleavers, bulls horns, &c. beaten upon and sounded in ludicrous processions.

ROULEAU. A number of guineas, from twenty to fifty or more, wrapped up in paper, for the more ready circulation at gaming-tables: sometimes they are inclosed in ivory boxes, made to hold exactly 20, 50, or 100 guineas.

ROUND DEALING. Plain, honest dealing.

ROUNDHEADS. A term of reproach to the puritans and partizans of Oliver Cromwell, and the Rump Parliament, who it is said made use of a bowl as a guide to trim their hair.

ROUND ROBIN. A mode of signing remonstrances practised by sailors on board the king's s.h.i.+ps, wherein their names are written in a circle, so that it cannot be discovered who first signed it, or was, in other words, the ringleader.

ROUND SUM. A considerable sum.

ROUND ABOUT. An instrument used in housebreaking.

This instrument has not been long in use. It will cut a round piece about five inches in diameter out of a shutter or door.

ROUND MOUTH. The fundament. Brother round mouth, speaks; he has let a fart.