Ramasser les fourreaux de bayonnette, to come up after the battle has been fought; (thieves’ and roughs’) —— les pattes, or filer une ratisse à un gas, to thrash one. See [Voie]. Ramasser un bidon, to make off, “to make beef.” See [Patatrot]. (Popular) Ramasser ses outils, to die, “to snuff it;” —— quelqu’un, to apprehend, “to nail” one; to thrash one. Se faire ——, to be locked up by the police, to be “run in;” to get a thrashing.
Si le patron m’embête, je te le ramasse et je te l’asseois sur sa bourgeoise, tu sais, collés comme une paire de soles!—Zola, L’Assommoir.
Ramasse-toi (popular), words addressed to a person who is talking incoherently.
Ramastiquer (thieves’), to pick up; to do the ring-dropping trick, or “fawney rig.” See [Ramastiqueur].
[Ramastiqueur], or ramastiqué, variety of thief, “money-dropper.” The rogue scrapes up an acquaintance with a dupe by inquiring about a coin or article of sham jewellery which he pretends to have just picked up in the street, and offers for sale, or otherwise fleeces the pigeon. Many of these rogues are rascally Jews. This kind of swindle is varied by dropping a pocket-book, the accomplice being termed in this case “heeler.” The heeler stoops behind the victim and strikes one of his heels as if by mistake, so as to draw his attention to the pocket-book. Also beggar who picks up halfpence in courts thrown to him from windows.
Les arcassineurs sont les mendiants à domicile. Les ramastiqueurs les mendiants de cours qui ramassent les sous. Les tendeurs de demi-aune, les mendiants des rues.—Mémoires de Monsieur Claude.
(Popular) Ramastiqueur d’orphelins, poor wretch who goes about picking up cigar and cigarette ends, a “hard up.”
Rambiner (popular), to patch up old shoes.
Tout le monde sait que son père rambinait les croknaux.—Le Tam-Tam.