Chaunters, those street sellers of ballads, last copies of verses, and other broadsheets, who sang or bawled the contents of their papers. They often termed themselves PAPER WORKERS. Cheap evening papers and private executions have together combined to improve these folks’ occupations off the face of the earth. See [HORSE-CHAUNTERS].
Chaw, to chew; CHAW UP, to get the better of one, finish him up; CHAWED UP, utterly done for.
Chaw-bacon, a rustic. Derived from the popular idea that a countryman lives entirely on bread and fat bacon. A country clown, a joskin, a yokel, a clodcrusher. These terms are all exchangeable.
Chaw over, to repeat one’s words with a view to ridicule.
Cheap, “doing it on the CHEAP,” living economically, or keeping up a showy appearance with very little means.
Cheap Jacks, or JOHNS, oratorical hucksters and patterers of hardware, who put an article up at a high price, and then cheapen it by degrees, indulging all the time in volleys of coarse wit, until it becomes to all appearance a bargain, and as such it is bought by one of the crowd. The popular idea is that the inverse method of auctioneering saves them paying for the auction licence.—See [DUTCH AUCTION].
Checks, counters used in games at cards. In the Pacific States of America a man who is dead is said to have handed (or passed) in his checks. The gamblers there are responsible for many of the colloquialisms current.
Chee-Chee, this word is used in a rather offensive manner to denote Eurasians,[58] or children by an English father and native mother. It takes its origin in a very common expression of half-caste females, “Chee-chee,” equivalent to our Oh, fie!—Nonsense!—For shame!—Anglo-Indian.
Cheek, share or portion; “where’s my CHEEK?” where is my allowance? “All to his own CHEEK,” all to himself.