Coule, f. (popular), être à la ——, to have mastered the routine of some business, to be acquainted with all the ins and outs; to be comfortable; to be clever at evading difficulties; to be insinuating; to connive at. Mettre quelqu’un à la ——, to instruct one in, to make one master of the routine of some business.
Couler (popular), en ——, to lie, “to cram one up.” La —— douce, to live comfortably. Se la —— douce, to take it easy.
Couleur, f. (popular), lie; box on the ear, or “buck-horse.” Monter la ——, to deceive, “to bamboozle.” Etre à la ——, to do things well.
Couleuvre, f. (popular), pregnant or “lumpy” woman.
Coulisse, f. (familiar), the set of [coulissiers]. See this word.
[Coulissier], m. (familiar), unofficial jobber at the Bourse or Stock Exchange. As an adjective it has the meaning of connected with the back scenes, as in the phrase, Des intrigues coulissières, back-scene intrigues.
Couloir, m. (popular), mouth, or “rattle-trap;” throat, or “peck alley.”
[Coup], m. (popular), secret process; knack; dodge. Il a le ——, he has the knack, he is a dab at. Il a un ——, he has a process of his own. Un —— d’arrosoir, a drink. Se flanquer un —— d’arrosoir, to get tipsy, or “screwed.” Un —— de bouteille, intoxication. Avoir son —— de bouteille, to be intoxicated, “to be boozy.” See [Pompette]. Coup de chancellerie, action of getting a man’s head “into chancery,” that is, to get an opponent’s head firmly under one’s arm, where it can be pommelled with immense power, and without any possibility of immediate extrication. Un —— de chien, a tussle; difficulty. Un —— d’encensoir, a blow on the nose. Un —— de feu, a slight intoxication. Un —— de feu de société, complete intoxication. Un —— de figure, hearty meal, or “tightener.” Un —— de fourchette, digging two fingers into an opponent’s eyes. Un —— de gaz, a glass of wine. Un —— de gilquin, a slap. Un —— de pied de jument or de Vénus, a venereal disease. Un —— de Raguse, action of leaving one in the lurch; an allusion to Marshal Marmont, Duc de Raguse, who betrayed Napoleon. Un —— de tampon, a blow, or “bang;” hard shove (tampon, buffer). Un —— de temps, an accident; hitch. Un —— de torchon, a fight; revolution. Le —— du lapin, finishing blow or crowning misfortune, the straw that breaks the camel’s back; treacherous way of gripping in a fight.
Coup féroce que se donnent de temps en temps les ouvriers dans leurs battures. Il consiste à saisir son adversaire, d’une main par les testicules, de l’autre par la gorge, et à tirer dans les deux sens: celui qui est saisi et tiré ainsi n’a pas même le temps de recommander son âme à Dieu.—Delvau.
Coup du médecin, glass of wine drunk after one has taken soup. Un —— dur, unpleasantness, unforeseen impediment. Attraper un —— de sirop, to get tipsy. Avoir son —— de chasselas, de feu, de picton, or de soleil, to be half drunk, “elevated.” See [Pompette]. Avoir son —— de rifle, to be tipsy, “screwed.” Donner le —— de pouce, to give short weight; to strangle. Faire le ——, or monter le —— à quelqu’un, to deceive, to take in, “to bamboozle” one. Se donner un —— de tampon, or de torchon, to fight. Se monter le ——, to be too sanguine, to form illusions. Valoir le ——, to be worth the trouble of doing or robbing. Voir le ——, to foresee an event; to see the dodge. Le —— de, action of doing anything. Le —— du canot, going out rowing. Coup de bleu, draught of wine. Avoir son —— de bleu, to be intoxicated, or “screwed.” Pomper un —— de bleu, to drink.