Figure, f. (popular), the breech, see [Vasistas]; sheep’s head. Ma ——, myself, “No. 1.”
Figurer (thieves’), to be in irons.
Fil, m. (thieves’), de soie, thief, “prig.” See [Grinche]. (Popular) Avoir le ——, or connaître le ——, to know what one is about, “to be up to a dodge or two.” N’avoir pas inventé le —— à couper le beurre is said of one who is not particularly bright, who is “no conjurer.” N’avoir plus de —— sur la bobine, to be bald, or “stag-faced.” Prendre un ——, to have a dram of spirits, a drop of “something damp,” or a “drain.” Un verre de ——, a glass of brandy. Une langue qui a le ——, a sharp tongue.
Filage, m. (card-sharpers’), handling cards in such a manner that trumps will turn up; juggling away a card as in the three-card trick, “slipping;” (thieves’) tracking one.
Filasse, f. (popular), mattress, bed, “doss;” a piece of roast beef. Se fourrer dans la ——, to go to bed, to get into the “kip.”
Filature, f. (thieves’), following stealthily a person. Faire la ——, or lâcher de la —— à quelqu’un, to follow a person stealthily, to track one, “to nose.” Prendre en —— un voleur, to follow and watch a thief. (Familiar) Filature de poivrots, spirit-shop patronized by confirmed drunkards.
[Filendèche], m. (thieves’), one of the vagabond tribe.
Lorsque j’occupais mon poste de commissaire de police dans ce dangereux quartier, les habitants sans patente des carrières d’Amérique formaient quatre catégories distinctes: les Hirondelles, les Romanichels, les Filendèches et les Enfants de la loupe.—Mémoires de Monsieur Claude.
Fil-en-double, m. (popular), wine.
Fil-en-trois, fil-en-quatre, fil-en-six, m. (popular), spirits.