Racine de buis, f. (popular), epithet applied to a humpback, to a “lord.” Also long yellow tooth.
Râcler (thieves’), to breathe. Tortille la vis au pante; il râcle encore, throttle him, he breathes still. (Popular) Râcler du fromage, to play the violin.
Râclette, f. (popular), chimney-sweep; (thieves’) spy, “nose;” detective, “cop.”
Râclure d’aubergine, f. (familiar), the ribbon of the decoration of officier d’Académie, which is violet.
Des hommes un peu plus âgés et portant à la boutonnière la “râclure d’aubergine” (le ruban d’officier d’Académie).—Didier, Echo de Paris, 1886.
Rade, radeau, m. (thieves’), till, or “lob;” shop, “chovey.” Encasquer dans un rade, to enter a shop.
Radicaille, or radicanaille, f. (familiar), the Radical party.
Radicaillon, m. (familiar), contemptuous epithet applied to a Radical.
Radicon, m. (thieves’), priest, “devil-dodger.” Termed also “Bible-pounder, white choker.”
Radin, m. (thieves’), fob. Friser le ——, to pick a fob. Un —— fleuri, a well-filled pocket. Un ——, a till, or “lob.” Faire un coup de ——, to steal the contents of a till. Termed by English thieves, “lob sneaking,” or “to draw a damper.” Un ——, a cap, or “tile.” Vol au ——, robbery in a shop. Two rogues pretend to quarrel, and one of them, as if in anger, throws the other’s cap into a shop, thus providing his accomplice with a pretext for entering the place, and an excuse should he be detected. See [Vol au radin].