Excerpt from The Slang Dictionary, or the Vulgar Words, Street Phrases, and "Fast" Expressions of High and Low Society: Many With Their Etymology, and a Few With Their History Traced The reader will please bear in mind that this is a Dic tionary of modern Slang, - a list of colloquial words and phrases in present use, - whether of ancient or modern formation. Whenever Ancient or Ancient English is ap pended to a Slang or Cant word, it is meant to signify that the expression was in respectable use in or previous to the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Ancient Cant indicates that the term was used as a Cant word in or previous to the same reign. Old or Old English, affixed to a vulgar word, signifies that it was in general use as a proper expression in or previous to the reign of Charles II. Old Cant indicates that the term was in use as a Cant word during or before the same reign. Obsolete Slang terms are not given; no notice, therefore, has been taken of the numerous expressions that occur in the play-books and other popular literature of the past three hundred years, which have served their day, and now form no part of our tongue. Only the living language of the time has been dealt with. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.