Il lansquine à éteindre le riffe du rabouin.—Victor Hugo.
Compare the word with the Italian cant “rabuino,” which has a like signification.
Raboter (popular), l’andosse, to thrash one, “to dust one’s jacket.” Se —— le sifflet, to drink a glass of strong brandy. A metaphor which recalls the action of a plane on a piece of wood.
Raboteux. See [Rabateux].
Rabouillère, f. (familiar), wretched looking house, a “hole.”
Rabouler (popular and thieves’), to return. American thieves term this, “to hare it; “—— à la cassine, to return home, “to speel to the crib.”
Raccord, m. (theatrical), partial rehearsal of a play.
Raccourcir (familiar and popular), to guillotine. The expression dates from 1793. We find the following synonyms in Le Père Duchêne of ’93, edited by Hébert: “cracher dans le sac,” an allusion to the head falling into the basket and the blood spouting up; “mettre la tête à la fenêtre,” shows the condemned one passing his head through the aperture; “jouer à la main-chaude,” which alludes to his hands tied behind his back, la main-chaude being literally hot cockles; “passer sous le rasoir national,” which needs no explanation. After ’93 Louis XVI. was called “Louis le raccourci.”
Raccourcisseur, m. (popular), the executioner. Called also “Charlot.” See [Monsieur de Paris].
Rachevage, m. (popular), depraved individual; a foul-mouthed man.