UNRIGGED. Undressed, or stripped. Unrig the drab;
strip
the wench.
Untruss. To untruss a point; to let down
one’s breeches
in order to ease one’s self.
Breeches were formerly tied
with points, which till lately were distributed
to the boys
every Whit Monday by the churchwardens
of most of the
parishes in London, under the denomination
of tags: these
tags were worsteds of different colours
twisted up to a size
somewhat thicker than packthread, and
tagged at both
ends with tin. Laces were at the
same given to the
girls.
Untwisted. Undone, ruined, done up.
Unwashed bawdry. Rank bawdry.
Up to their gossip. To be
a match for one who attempts
to cheat or deceive; to be on a footing,
or in the secret.
I’ll be up with him; I will repay
him in kind.
UPHILLS. False dice that run high.
Upper Benjamin. A great coat. Cant.
Upper story, or garret. Figuratively
used to signify the
head. His upper story or garrets
are unfurnished; i.e.
he is an empty or foolish fellow.
Upping block. [Called in some counties a
leaping stock,
in others a jossing block.] Steps for
mounting a horse.
He sits like a toad on a jossing block;
said of one who
sits ungracefully on horseback.
Uppish. Testy, apt to take offence.
Upright. Go upright; a word used by shoemakers,
taylors
and their servants, when any money is
given to
make them drink, and signifies, Bring
it all out in liquor,
though the donor intended less, and expects
change, or
some of his money, to be returned.
Three-penny upright.
See threepenny upright,
Upright man. An upright man signifies
the chief or
principal of a crew. The vilest,
stoutest rogue in the
pack is generally chosen to this post,
and has the sole
right to the first night’s lodging
with the dells, who
afterwards
are used in common among the whole fraternity.
He carries a short truncheon in his hand,
which he calls
his filchman, and has a larger share than
ordinary in
whatsoever is gotten in the society.
He often travels in
company with thirty or forty males and
females, abram
men, and others, over whom he presides
arbitrarily. Sometimes
the women and children who are unable
to travel,
or fatigued, are by turns carried in panniers
by an ass, or
two, or by some poor jades procured for
that purpose.
UPSTARTS. Persons lately raised to honours and
riches
from mean stations.
Urchin. A child, a little fellow; also a hedgehog.
Urinal of the planets. Ireland:
so called from the
frequent rains in that island.


