Riffaudante, f. (thieves’), flame.
Riffaudate, m. (thieves’), conflagration.
[Riffauder] (thieves’), to warm; to blow one’s brains out.
A bas les lingres, tas de ferlampiers, ou je vous riffaude.—Vidocq. (Down with the knives, ruffians, else I’ll blow your brains out.)
Faire ——, to cook. Se ——, to warm oneself. Le marmouzet riffaude, the pot is boiling. Riffauder, to burn.
Ah! pilier, que gitre été affuré gourdement, car le cornet d’épice a riffaudé ma luque où étaient les armoiries de la vergne d’Amsterdam en Hollande; j’y perds cinquante grains de rente.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.
Riffaudeur, m. (thieves’), incendiary. Les riffaudeurs, better known under the name of “chauffeurs,” were brigands who, towards 1795, overran the country in large gangs, and spread terror among the rural population. They besmeared their faces with soot, or concealed them under a mask. They burned the feet of their victims in order to compel them to give up their hoardings. The government of the Directoire was powerless against these organized bands, and it was only under Bonaparte’s consulate in 1803 that they were hunted down and captured by the military. Le —— à perpète, the devil, or “Ruffin.”
Riffer. See [Riffauder].
Riflard, m. (familiar and popular), umbrella, “mush.” From the name of a character in a play by Picard. (Thieves’) Riflard, rich man, or “ragsplawger;” fire. (Masons’) Compagnon du ——, mason’s assistant. Le riflard signifies a shovel. (Popular) Des riflards, old leaky shoes.
Riflardise, f. (popular), stupidity.