Christ’s College. Founded at Cambridge by Lady Margaret, Countess of Richmond, mother of Henry VII., for a master and twelve fellows, corresponding to Christ and His apostles, to whom it was dedicated.

Christy Minstrels. After Charles Christy, who introduced the Negro Minstrel Entertainment to England.

Church Ale. Specifically the ale brewed by the church-wardens for merrymakers on the village green at Whitsuntide and other high holidays. Later the assemblage itself came to be styled a “Church Ale.”

Chute. The French for “a fall,” applied by the Americans to a declivity of water. The exciting diversion of boating on such a waterfall is styled “Shooting the Chutes.”

Cicerone. After Cicero, the prince of speakers. The comparison between the celebrated orator and the “Roman Guide” befooled by Mark Twain is rather painful.

61Cigar. From the Spanish Cigarro, the original name of a particular kind of Cuban tobacco.

Cinderella Dance. Because it is brought to an end at twelve o’clock, in allusion to the heroine in the fairy story.

Circumlocution Office. A term first applied to the shuttle-cock methods in vogue at our public offices by Charles Dickens in “Little Dorrit.”

Cistercians. An Order of monks established at Cistercium, or Citeau, near Dijon.

City. The proper and historic distinction between a city and a town lies in the fact that the former is the seat of a bishop, and accordingly contains a cathedral. In modern times many burghs or towns have been advanced to the dignity of a city on account of their commercial importance. These are, however, cities only in name.

City Fathers. Aldermen of the city of London.

City Golgotha. Old Temple Bar, from the heads of rebels spiked on its top. Golgotha is Hebrew for “the place of skulls.”

Claim. A squatter’s term for a piece of land which he has marked off and settled upon pending its legal acquisition from the Government. During the gold fever the name also came to be applied to the land parcelled out to each digger.

Clare Market. The site of Clare House, the residence of the Earl of Clare.

Clarence. A carriage named after the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William IV.

Clarges Street. From the mansion of Sir Walter Clarges, afterwards taken over by the Venetian ambassador.

Clarendon. The black type first used at the Clarendon Press, Oxford, which owed its foundation to the profits of Lord Clarendon’s “History of the Rebellion,” presented to the University.

62Claude Lorraine. The assumed name of the celebrated landscape painter Claude Galée, who was a native of Lorraine.

Cleaned Out. Pockets emptied of cash. The allusion is to a saucepan or other domestic cooking utensil which is cleansed after use.

Clerkenwell. The holy well beside which the parish clerks performed their miracle plays on festival days.

Clifford Street. After Elizabeth Clifford, wife of the Earl of Burlington.

Closure. A modern parliamentary term signifying the right of the Speaker to order the closing of a useless debate. The Closure was first applied 24th February 1884.

Cloth Fair. The great annual mart for the sale of cloth brought over by Flemish merchants.

Club. From the German kleben, to adhere, cleave to, associate.

Clyde. The strong river, from the Gaelic clyth, strong.

Coast is Clear. Originally a smugglers’ phrase relative to coastguards.

Coat of Arms. During the days of chivalry, when a knight was completely encased in armour and the vizor of his helmet was drawn over his face, his sole mode of distinction was by the embroidered design of his armorial bearings on a sleeveless coat that he wore in the lists at tournaments. In warfare the coat was dispensed with, but he was known to his comrades by another device on the crest of his helmet.

Cobbler. An American drink of spirits, beer, sugar, and spice, said to have been first concocted by a Western shoemaker.

Coblentz. From the Latin name, Confluentia, being situated at the confluence of the Rivers Rhine and Moselle.

63Cockade. From the party badge originally displayed on a cocked hat. See “Knocked into a Cocked Hat.”

Cockade State. Maryland, from the brilliant cockades worn by the brave Old Maryland Regiment during the War of Independence.

Cockney. From “Cockayne,” a Fools’ Paradise, where there is nothing but eating and drinking, described in a satiric poem of the thirteenth century. The word was clearly derived from coquere, to cook, and had reference to London, where the conduits on occasion ran with wine, and good living fell to the lot of men generally.

Cock-penny. A penny levied by the master on each of the boys for allowing the brutal sport of cock-throwing in school on Shrove Tuesday formerly. The master himself found the bird.

Cocktail. Tradition has it that one of Montezuma’s nobles sent a draught of a new beverage concocted by him from the cactus plant to the Emperor by his daughter Xochitl. The Aztec monarch smiled, tasted it, gulped it down with a relish, and, it is said, afterwards married the girl; thenceforward this drink became the native tipple, and for centuries it bore the softened name of Octel. The corruption of Octel into Cocktail by the soldiers of the American Army when, under General Scott, they invaded Mexico, about sixty years ago, was easy.

Coger. A slang term derived from the members of the celebrated Cogers’ Club in Salisbury Court, Fleet Street. They styled themselves “Cogers” from the Latin cogito, to think deeply.

Cohees. Natives of Western Pennsylvania, owing to their addiction to the phrase “Quoth he,” softened into Quo’he.

Coin Money. To make money as fast as it is turned out at the Mint. Few men are so fortunate.

Coke Hat. After William Coke, who popularised it. See “Billycock.”

64Coldbath Fields. A district of Clerkenwell now long built over, but famous for a cold bath; the site is marked by the present Bath Street.

Colchester. The camp town on the Colne.

Coldstream Guards. The regiment raised by General Monk at Coldstream, Berwickshire, in 1660.

Coleman Street. Said to have been built upon by one Coleman; but long before his time the coalmen or charcoal merchants congregated here.

Colleen. Irish for girl. “Colleen Bawn” expresses a blonde girl.

College Hill. From a collegiate foundation of Sir Richard Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London.

College Port. Inferior port served up to the older students at college. It is said to be specially prepared for this market.

Collop Monday. The day preceding Shrove Tuesday, when housewives cut up all their meat into large steaks or collops for salting during Lent.

Cologne. The Colonia Agrippina of the Romans, so called after the mother of Nero, who was born here.

Colonel. A Far-West title of courtesy bestowed upon anyone who owns a stud horse.

Colorado. The Spaniards gave this name to the state in allusion to its coloured ranges.

Colosseum. Greek for “great amphitheatre.”

Combine. An Americanism for “Combination.” Applied in a financial or commercial sense, this term is now well understood in our own country.

Come up to the Scratch. A prize-fighting expression. A line was scratched on the ground with a stick, and the combatants were expected to toe it with the left foot.

Commonwealth. In theatrical parlance, a sharing out of the proceeds of the week’s performances after all expenses have been deducted. This generally happens 65when the manager has decamped with the entire takings, and left his company stranded.

Compton Street (Old and New). Built upon by Sir Richard Compton and Bishop Compton respectively.

Conduit Street. From a conduit of spring water set up here before the land was built over.

Confidence Man. An Americanism for one who in this country is known to extract money from strangers by the “confidence trick.”

Confounded Liar. Literally one who is covered with confusion on being brought face to face with the truth.

Congleton Bears. A nickname given to the people of Congleton, Cheshire. Local tradition has it that the bear intended for baiting at the holiday sports died, and, to procure another, the authorities appropriated the money collected for a new Church Bible.

Congregationalists. Independent Nonconformists, who are neither Baptists nor Wesleyans, and claim the right to “call” their own ministers, each congregation managing its own affairs.

Connecticut. From the Indian Quinnitukut, “country of the long river.”

Conscience Money. Money sent anonymously to the Treasury in respect of Income-Tax after the thought of having defrauded the Revenue has pricked the individual conscience.

Constance. Founded by Constantine, the father of Constantine the Great; one of the oldest cities of Germany.

Constantinople. The city of Constantine.

Constitution Hill. Where John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham, took his daily constitutional walk while residing at Buckingham House, built by him in 1703. On the site of this mansion George IV. erected the present edifice, Buckingham Palace, in 1825.

66Cook your Goose. An old chronicler thus explains this saying: “The Kyng of Swedland coming to a towne of his enemyes with very little company, his enemyes, to slyghte his forces, did hang out a goose for him to shoote, but perceiving before nyghte that these fewe soldiers had invaded and sette their chief houlds on fire, they demanded of him what his intent was, to whom he replied, ‘To cook your goose.’”

Coon. Short for racoon, an American animal much prized on account of its fur.

Cooper. A publican’s term for half ale and half porter. See “Entire.”

Copenhagen Street. From Copenhagen Fields, where stood a noted tea-house opened by a Dane.

Copper. A policeman, from the thieves’ slang cop, to take, catch.

Copperheads. A political faction of North America during the Civil War, regarded as secret foes, and so called after the copperhead serpent, which steals upon its enemy unawares.

Cordeliers. Franciscan Friars distinguished from the parent Order by the knotted waist-cord.

Corduroy. In French Cord du Roy, “King’s cord,” because ribbed or corded material was originally worn only by the Kings of France.

Cordwainer. The old name for a shoemaker, because the leather he worked upon was Cordwain, a corruption of Cordovan, brought from the city of Cordova.

Cork. From the Gaelic corroch, a swamp.

Cork Street. From the residence of Lord Cork, one of the four brothers of the Boyle family.

Corncrackers. The Kentuckians, from a native bird of the crane species called the Corncracker.

Corner. The creation of a monopoly of prices in respect of natural produce or manufactured goods. The allusion 67here is to speculators who agreed in a quiet corner, at or near the Exchange, to buy up the whole market.

Cornhill. The ancient city corn market.

Cornwall. Pursuant to the Saxon Wahl, the horn of land peopled by foreigners.

Corpus Christi College. At Cambridge, founded by the united guilds or fraternities of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin.

Corsica. A Phœnician term for “wooded isle.”

Cossack. The Russian form of the Tartar term kasake, a horseman.

Costa Rica. Spanish for “rich coast.”

Costermonger. In Shakespeare’s time a Costardmonger, or trader in a famous species of apple so called.

Cottonopolis. Manchester, the city identified with English cotton manufacture.

Cotton Plantation State. Alabama, from its staple industry.

Cotton to. An Americanism meaning to cling to a man as cotton would cling to his garments.

Counter-jumper. The derisive nickname of a draper’s assistant, on account of his agility in leaping over the counter as a short cut from one department to another.

Country Dance. A corruption of the French contre danse, from the opposite positions of the dancers.

Coup de Grace. The merciful finishing stroke of the executioner after a criminal had been tortured by having all his bones broken on a wheel. One blow on the head then put him out of his misery.

Court Cards. Properly Coat Cards, on account of their heraldic devices.

Court of Arches. The ecclesiastical Court of Appeal for the Archbishopric of Canterbury which in ancient times was held in the crypt of St Mary-le-Bow, or St Mary of the Arches at Cheapside. See “Bow Church.”

68Court Plaster. The plaster out of which ladies of the Court fashioned their decorative (?) face patches.

Covenanters. Those who entered into a Solemn League or Covenant to resist the religious and political measures of Charles I. in 1638.

Covent Garden. A corruption of Convent Garden, the site of which was converted into a market, temp. Charles II. The convent and garden belonged to the Abbey at Westminster.

Coventry. A corruption of Conventry–i.e. Convent town. Before the Reformation it was far famed for the number of its conventual establishments. The suffix try is Celtic for “dwelling.”

Coventry Street. From the residence of Henry Coventry, Secretary of State, temp. Charles II.

Cowcross Street. Where the cattle crossed the brook in days when this now congested neighbourhood was pleasant pasture land watered by the “River of Wells.”

Coxcomb. A vain, empty-pated individual. So called from the cock’s comb worn on the cap by the licensed jesters, because they were allowed to crow over their betters.

Cracker. Although the origin of this term when applied to a juvenile firework would appear to be self-evident, it is really a corruption of Cracque, the Norman description of “Greek Fire.”

Crackers. The people of Georgia, owing, it is said, to the unintelligibility of their speech.

Cranbourn Street. From the long, narrow stream of this name, when the whole district hereabouts was open fields.

Crank. One whose notions of things are angular, eccentric, or crooked. His ideas do not run in a straight line.

Cravat. Introduced into Western Europe by the Cravates or Croatians in the seventeenth century.

69Craven Street. From the residence of Lord Craven prior to his removal to Drury House in Drury Lane.

Cream City. Milwaukee, from the cream-coloured bricks of which its houses are built.

Credit Draper. The modern designation of a “Tallyman.”

Cree Church. See “St Katherine Cree.”

Creed Lane. Where the monks recited the Credo in procession to St Paul’s. See “Ave Maria Lane.”

Cremorne Gardens. Laid out on the site of the mansion and grounds of Thomas Dawson, Lord Cremorne.

Creole State. Louisiana. In New Orleans particularly a Creole is a native of French extraction.

Crescent City. New Orleans, built in the form of a crescent.

Crimea. From the Kimri or Cymri who settled in the peninsula.

Cripplegate. From the city gate around which gathered cripples begging for alms, the neighbouring church being dedicated to St Giles, their patron.

Crokers. Potatoes, because first raised in Croker’s Field at Youghal, Ireland.

Cromwell Road. From the mansion and grounds of Richard Cromwell, son of the Lord Protector.

Crop Clubs. Clubs formed to evade Mr Pitt’s tax on hair powder. The Times thus noticed one of the earliest in its issue of 14th April 1795: “A numerous Club has been formed in Lambeth called the ‘Crop Club,’ every member of which is obliged to have his hair docked as close as the Duke of Bridgewater’s old bay horses. This assemblage is instituted for the purpose of opposing, or rather evading, the tax on powdered heads.”

Cross Keys. A common inn sign throughout Yorkshire, from the arms of the Archbishop of York.

70Crowd. Theatrical slang for members of a company collectively.

Crow over him. A cock always crows over a vanquished opponent in a fight.

Crutched Friars. Friars of the Holy Trinity, so called from the embroidered cross on their habits (Latin, cruciati, crossed). Their London house was located in the thoroughfare named after them.

Cuba. The native name of the island when Columbus discovered it.

Cully. A slang term applied to a man, mate, or companion. Its origin is the Romany cuddy, from the Persian gudda, an ass.

Cumberland. The land of the Cymri.

Cupboard. See “Dresser.”

Curaçoa. A liqueur first prepared at the West Indian island of the same name.

Currants. First brought from Corinth.

Cursitor Street. From the Cursitors’ Office that stood here. The Cursitors were clerks of Chancery, but anciently choristers, just as the Lord Chancellor himself was an ecclesiastic.

Curtain Road. From the “Curtain Theatre,” where Ben Jonson’s “Every Man in his Humour” was put on the stage.

Curzon Street. From George Augustus Curzon, created Viscount Howe, the ground landlord.

Cuspidor. The American term for a spittoon, derived from the Spanish escupidor, a spitter.

Cut me to the Quick. The quick of one’s fingers when cut into is most alive or sensitive to pain. See “Quicksilver.”

Cutpurse. A thief who, in days before pockets came into vogue, had no difficulty in cutting the strings with which a purse was suspended from the girdle.

71Cut the Line. A printer’s expression for knocking off work. Formerly compositors finished the line they were composing; nowadays Trades Unionism has made them so particular that they leave off in the middle of a line on the first stroke of the bell.

Cypress. A tree introduced to Western Europe from the island of Cyprus.

Cyprus. From kupras, the Greek name for a herb which grew on the island in profusion.

D

Dachshund. German for “badger-dog.”

Daffodil. An English corruption of the French d’Asphodel.

Dagonet. The pseudonym of Mr George R. Sims in The Referee, after the jester at the Court of King Arthur.

Daguerreotype. An early process of photography discovered by L. J. M. Daguerre.

Dahlgreen Gun. After its inventor, an officer in the United States Navy.

Dahlia. Introduced to Europe from Mexico in 1784 by Andrew Dahl, the Swedish botanist.

Daisy. From the Anglo-Saxon dæges eye, or “day’s eye,” on account of its sunlike appearance.

Dakota. From the Dacoits, a tribe of Indians found there.

Dale Road. From the residence of Canon Dale, poet, and Vicar of St Pancras.

Dalmatian. A species of dog bred in Dalmatia.

Dalston. The town in the dale when the north of London was more or less wooded.

Damage. See “What’s the Damage?”

Damascenes. From Damascus, famous for its plums.

Damascus. From the Arabic name of the city, Dimiskesh-Shâm.

72Damascus Blade. From Damascus, a city world famous for the temper of its sword blades.

Damask. First made at Damascus in Syria.

Damask Rose. Introduced to Europe from Damascus.

Damassin. A Damask cloth interwoven with flowers of gold or silver.

Dame School. The old name for a girls’ school taught by a spinster or dame.

Damsons. Properly Damascenes, from Damascus.

Dancing Chancellor. Sir Christopher Hatton so pleased Queen Elizabeth by his dancing at a Court masque that she made him a Knight of the Garter; subsequently he became Lord Chancellor of England.

Dandelion. A corruption of the French dent de lion, from its fancied resemblance to a lion’s tooth.

Dandy. From the French dandin, silly fellow, ninny.

Dantzic. Expresses the town settled by the Danes.

Danvers Street. From Danvers House, in which resided Sir John Danvers, to whom the introduction of the Italian style of horticulture in England was due.

Darbies. A pair of handcuffs, in allusion to Darby and Joan, who were inseparable.

Dardanelles. After the city on the Asiatic side founded by Dardanus, the ancestor of Priam, the last king of Troy.

Dark and Bloody Ground. Kentucky, the great battle-ground of the Indians and white settlers, as also that of the savage tribes amongst themselves.

Darmstadt. The stadt, or town, on the Darm.

Dartford. From the Saxon Darentford, the fort on the Darent.

Dartmoor. The moor in which the River Dart takes its rise.

Dartmouth. On the estuary of the River Dart.