BUM-BAILIFF, a sheriff’s officer,—a term, some say, derived from the proximity which this gentleman generally maintains to his victims. Blackstone says it is a corruption of “bound bailiff.”
BUM-BOATS, shore boats which supply ships with provisions, and serve as means of communication between the sailors and the shore.
BUM-BRUSHER, a schoolmaster.
BUMMAREE. This term is given to a class of speculating salesmen at Billingsgate market, not recognised as such by the trade, but who get a living by buying large quantities of fish of the salesmen and re-selling it to smaller buyers. The word has been used in the statutes and bye-laws of the markets for upwards of 100 years. It has been variously derived, but is most probably from the French, BONNE MAREE, good fresh fish! “Marée signifie toute sorte de poisson de mer qûi n’est pas salé; bonne marée—marée fraiche, vendeur de marée.”—Dict. de l’Acad. Franc. The BUMMAREES are accused of many trade tricks. One of them is to blow up cod-fish with a pipe until they look double their actual size. Of course when the fish come to table they are flabby, sunken, and half dwindled away. In Norwich, TO BUMMAREE ONE is to run up a score at a public house just open, and is equivalent to “running into debt with one.”
BUNCH OF FIVES, the hand, or fist.
BUNDLE, “to BUNDLE a person off,” i.e., to pack him off, send him flying.
BUNG, the landlord of a public-house.
BUNG, to give, pass, hand over, drink, or indeed to perform any action; BUNG UP, to close up—Pugilistic; “BUNG over the rag,” hand over the money—Old, used by Beaumont and Fletcher, and Shakespere. Also, to deceive one by a lie, to [CRAM], which see.
BUNKER, beer.
BUNTS, costermonger’s perquisites; the money obtained by giving light weight, &c.; costermongers’ goods sold by boys on commission. Probably a corruption of bonus, BONE being the slang for good. Bunce, Grose gives as the cant word for money.