VICE ADMIRAL OF THE NARROW SEAS. A drunken man that pisses under the table into his companions' shoes.
VICTUALLING OFFICE. The stomach.
VINCENT'S LAW. The art of cheating at cards, composed of
the following associates: bankers, those who play booty;
the gripe, he that betteth; and the person cheated, who
is styled the vincent; the gains acquired, termage.
VINEGAR. A name given to the person who with a whip
in his hand, and a hat held before his eye, keeps the
ring clear, at boxing-matches and cudgel-playing; also,
in cant terms, a cloak.
VIXEN. A termagant; also a she fox, who, when she has
cubs, is remarkably fierce.
TO VOWEL. A gamester who does not immediately pay his losings, is said to vowel the winner, by repeating the vowels I. O. U. or perhaps from giving his note for the money according to the Irish form, where the acknowledgment of the debt is expressed by the letters I. O. U. which, the sum and name of the debtor being added, is deemed a sufficient security among gentlemen.
UNCLE. Mine uncle's; a necessary house. He is gone to visit his uncle; saying of one who leaves his wife soon after marriage. It likewise means a pawnbroker's: goods pawned are frequently said to be at mine uncle's, or laid up in lavender.
UNDERSTRAPPER. An inferior in any office, or department.
UNDER DUBBER. A turnkey.
UNFORTUNATE GENTLEMEN. The horse guards, who thus named themselves in Germany, where a general officer seeing them very awkward in bundling up their forage, asked what the devil they were; to which some of them answered, unfortunate gentlemen.