Cupboard love. Pretended love to the
cook, or any other
person, for the sake of a meal. My
guts cry cupboard;
i.e. I am hungry
Cupid, blind Cupid. A jeering
name for an ugly blind
man: Cupid, the god of love, being
frequently painted
blind. See blind Cupid.
Cur. A cut or curtailed dog. According
to the forest laws,
a man who had no right to the privilege
of the chase, was
obliged to cut or law his dog: among
other modes of
disabling him from disturbing the game,
one was by depriving
him of his tail: a dog so cut was
called a cut or
curtailed dog, and by contraction a cur.
A cur is figuratively
used to signify a surly fellow.
Curbing law. The act of hooking goods
out of windows:
the curber is the thief, the curb the
hook. Cant.
Cure A-se. A dyachilon plaister, applied
to the parts galled
by riding.
Curle. Clippings of money, which curls up in the operation. Cant.
Curmudgeon. A covetous old fellow, derived,
according
to some, from the French term coeur mechant.
Curry. To curry favour; to obtain the favour
of a person
be coaxing or servility. To curry
any one’s hide; to beat
him.
Curse of Scotland. The nine of
diamonds; diamonds, it
is said, imply royalty, being ornaments
to the imperial
crown; and every ninth king of Scotland
has been observed
for many ages, to be a tyrant and a curse
to that country.
Others say it is from its similarity to
the arms of Argyle;
the Duke of Argyle having been very instrumental
in
bringing about the union, which, by some
Scotch patriots,
has been considered as detrimental to
their country.
Curse of god. A cockade.
CURSITORS. Broken petty-fogging attornies, or
Newgate
solicitors. Cant.
Curtails. Thieves who cut off pieces of
stuff hanging out
of shop windows, the tails of women’s
gowns, &c.; also,
thieves wearing short jackets.
Curtain lecture. A woman who scolds
her husband
when in bed, is said to read him a curtain
lecture.
CURTEZAN. A prostitute.
Cushion. He has deserved the cushion; a
saying of one
whose wife is brought to bed of a boy:
implying, that
having done his business effectually,
he may now indulge or
repose himself.
Cushion thumper, or Duster. A
parson; many of whom
in the fury of their eloquence, heartily
belabour their cushions.
Custard cap. The cap worn by the sword-bearer
of the
city of London, made hollow at the top
like a custard.
Custom-house goods. The stock
in trade of a prostitute,
because fairly entered.


