_Bam_, a jocular imposition, the same as humbug.
_Bandog_, a bailiff, or his followers; a sergeant, or his yeomen; also a fierce mastiff.
_Bandero_, a widow"s mourning peak; also a musical instrument.
_Baptised_, rum, brandy, or any other spirits that have been lowered with water.
_Barker_, a salesman"s servant that walks before the shop, and cries, coats, gowns, &c., what d"ye buy?
_Barking irons_, pistols, from their explosion resembling the barking of a dog.
_Barnacles_, a good job, or a snack easily got; also, the irons worn by felons in gaols.
_Barrel Fever_, he died of the barrel fever; he killed himself by drinking.
_Battner_, an ox.
_Bawbee_, a halfpenny.
_Baudrons_, a cat.
_Beak_, a justice of peace, or magistrate.
_Beard splitter_, a wh.o.r.emaster, or a beadle.
_Beater cases_, boots.
_Bellows_, the lungs.
_Belly cheat_, an ap.r.o.n.
_Bill of sale_, a widow"s weeds.
_Bing_, to go, bing avast; get you gone. Binged avast in a darkmans; stole away in the night. Bing we to Rumvilck; shall we go to London.
_Bingo_, brandy, or other spirituous liquor.
_Bingo boy_, a dram drinker.
_Bingo mort_, a female dram drinker.
_Bingowaste_, get you hence.
_Black fly_, the greatest drawback on the farmer is the black fly, i.e.
the parson.
_Bleating rig_, sheep-stealing.
_Blind harpers_, beggars counterfeiting blindness, playing on fiddles, &c.
_Black box_, a lawyer.
_Black Indies_, Newcastle, from whence the coals are brought.
_Black spy_, the devil.
_Blind cheek_, the breech.
_Blowen_, a wh.o.r.e.
_Bluffer_, an innkeeper, or victualler.
_Boarding school_, Bridewell, Newgate, or any other prison, or house of correction.
_Bob_, a shoplifter"s a.s.sistant, or one that receives and carries off stolen goods.
_Bob ken_, or _a Brownmanken_, a well furnished house.
_Bone_, to apprehend, seize, or arrest.
_Bone box_, the mouth.
_Bone Darkmans_, a good night.
_Bone setter_, a hard-trotting horse.
_b.o.o.by hutch_, a one-horse chaise, noddy, buggy, or leathern bottle.
_Borde_, a shilling.
_Bouncing cheat_, a bottle.
_Bracket face_, ugly, ill-favoured.
_Brown George_, an ammunition loaf.
_Buck"s face_, a cuckold.
_Bufe_, a dog.
_b.u.t.t"s eye_, a crown, or five shilling piece.
_Bung_, a purse, pocket, or fob.
_Bur_, a hanger-on, a dependant.
_b.u.m bailiff_, a sheriff"s officer who arrests debtors; so called perhaps from following his prey, and being at their b.u.ms, or as the vulgar phrase is, hard at their a---s. Blackstone says it is a corruption of bound bailiff, from their being obliged to give bond for their good behaviour.
_b.u.m brusher_, a schoolmaster.