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RABBIT. A rowdy. "Dead rabbit," a very athletic rowdy fellow.
RABBIT-SUCKERS. Young spendthrifts; fast young men.
RACKLAW. A married woman.
RAG. A dollar. "Not a rag," not a dollar.
RAG-WATER. Intoxicating liquor of all kinds. If frequently taken to excess, will reduce any person to rags.
RAGGED. Abused; slandered.
RAGS. Paper money. "Poor cove, rags are few with him," poor fellow, money is not plenty with him.
RAILS. Curtain lectures.
RAINBOW. A footman; so called from the fact that he wears livery, or garments of different colors.
RAINY DAY. A day of sickness; a day of want; bad times and rainy days.
RAKE. To apportion; share.
RALPH. A fool.
RAMMER. The arm. "The copper seized my rammer, and run me like a prad to the wit," the officer laid hold of my arm, and run me like a horse to prison.
RAMP. To snatch; to tear anything forcibly from the person. Pickpockets are said to be ramping a man when a number of them rush on him as if in a great hurry to pass, but manage to run against him, and in the flurry pick his pocket.
RANCAT COVE. A man covered with fur.
RANDY. Unruly; rampant.
RANGLING. Intriguing with a number of women.
RAP. To take a false oath; to curse.
RAPPER. A perjurer.
RASCAGLION. A eunuch.
RAT. A trick; a cheat. "To smell a rat," to suspect.
RATTLE. A hackney coach.
RATTLING COVE. A coachman.
READ AND WRITE. Flight. "He took to read and write with Joe in Daisyville."
READER. A pocket-book.
READER MERCHANTS. Pickpockets who operate in and about the banks.
READY. Cash.
RECKON. Cheat.
RECRUITING. Thieves hunting for plunder.
RED. Gold; a cent.
RED FUSTIAN. Porter or red wine.
RED LANE. The throat.
RED RAG. The tongue. "Shut your potato-trap and give the red rag a holiday," shut your mouth and let your tongue rest.
RED RIBBON. Brandy.
RED SUPER. A gold watch.
REDGE. Gold.
REEFING. Drawing. "Reefing up into work," drawing up the pocket until the purse or portmonnaie is within reach of the fingers.
REGULARS. Share or portion. "The coves cracked the swell's crib, fenced the swag, and then each bloke napped his regulars," the fellows broke open a gentleman's house, sold the goods to a receiver, and each man received his portion.
REP. A man of good reputation.
REPS. A woman of good reputation.
REVERSED. A man made to stand on his head by rowdies, in order that his money may fall out of his pockets. It is then picked up as money found.
RHINO. Money.
RHINO FAT. Being rich.
RIB. A cross, ill-natured wife.
RIB-ROAST. The act of scolding a husband unmercifully by his wife.
RIBBON. Liquor.
RICHARDSNARY. A dictionary.
RIG. Joke; fun.
RIGGING. Clothing.
RIGHT. All right; just as it was wished to be.
RIGHT SORT. One of your kind; a good fellow.
RIGHTS. "To rights," clear. "Oh! then, you are to rights this time," there is a clear case against you.
RING. To ring in is to join in with another and appear to think as he thinks; to intrude; to force one's self into company where he is not wanted.
RIP. A poor devil.
RIPPERS. Spurs.
ROAST. To arrest.
ROBIN'S MEN. From Robin Hood. Expert thieves; grand larceny men; bank robbers, etc.
ROCKED IN A STONE CRADLE. Born in a prison.
RODGER. A portmanteau.
ROGUE. "Rogue and pulley," a man and woman going out to rob gentlemen.
ROLL OF SNOW. A roll of linen.
ROME COVE. A king; the president.
ROME MORT. A queen.
ROME VILLE. New-York.
ROMONERS. Fortune-tellers.
ROMONEY. A gipsy.
ROOFER. A hat.
ROOST-LAY. Stealing poultry.
ROPED. Led astray; taken in and done for.
ROPER-IN. A man who visits hotels and other places for the purpose of ingratiating himself with persons who are supposed to have plenty of cash and little prudence, and inducing them to visit gaming-houses.
ROSE. A secret.
ROTAN. Any wheeled carriage.
ROUGH MUSIC. Noise made by beating old tins.
ROUGHS. Men that are ready to fight in any way or shape.
ROUND. Good.
ROUND ABOUT. An instrument used by burglars to cut a large hole into an iron chest or door.
ROUND ROBIN. A burglar's instrument.
ROUNDING. Informing; giving information.
ROVERS. Thoughts.
RUB. Run. "Don't rub us to wit," don't run us to prison.
RUB US TO WIT. Send us to prison.
RUFFELS. Hand-cuffs.
RUFFIAN. The devil. "May the ruffian nab the cuffin queer, and let the copper twine with his kinchins around his colquarren," may the devil take the justice, and let the policeman be hanged with all his children about his neck. "The ruffian cly you," the devil take you.
RUG. Sleep.
RUGG. It is all right.
RUM BITE. A smart cheat; a clean trick.
RUM BLOWEN. A handsome girl.
RUM BLUFFER. A jolly landlord.
RUM CHUB. A fellow.
RUMBEAK. A magistrate that can be bribed.
RUMBING. A full purse.
RUMBLE THE FLATS. Playing cards.
RUMBO. A prison.
RUMBOB. A money-drawer.
RUMBOSE. Wine or any kind of good drink.
RUMBUGHER. A valuable dog.
RUN. Fine; good; valuable.
RUN IN. Arrested.
RUNNING HIM THROUGH. A term used by gamblers when they play with a sucker, and don't give him a chance to win a single bet.
RUSHERS. House-breakers who break into country houses.
RUSTY. Ill-natured. His tongue goes like a door on rusty hinges.
RYBUCK. All right; straight; it will do; I am satisfied.
RYDER. A cloak.