Omnium gatherum, an indiscriminate collection of articles; a numerous and by no means select assemblage.
On, “to be ON,” in public-house or vulgar parlance, is synonymous with getting “tight” or tipsy; “it’s St. Monday with him, I see he’s ON again,” i.e., drunk as usual, or on the road to it. “I’m ON” also expresses a person’s acceptance of an offered bet. To GET ON a horse or a man is to make bets on it or him. “Try it ON,” a defiant challenge to a person.
On the fly, getting one’s living by thieving or other illegitimate means; the phrase is applied to men the same as “on the loose” is to women. On the fly also means on the drink.
On the loose, obtaining a living by prostitution; in reality, on the streets. The term is applied to females only, excepting in the case of “sprees,” when men carousing are sometimes said to be ON THE LOOSE.
On the nose, on the watch or look-out. See [NOSE].
On the shelf, transported. With old maids it has another and very different meaning.
On the tiles, out all night “on the spree,” or carousing,—in allusion to the London cats on their amatory excursions. See [CATERWAULING].
One-er, that which stands for ONE, a blow that requires no repeating. In The Old Curiosity Shop, the “Marchioness” tells Dick Swiveller that “her missus is a ONE-ER”—there a variation of “stunner.”
One in ten, a parson. In allusion to the tithing system.
Onion, a watch-seal.