Call, a notice of rehearsal, or any other occasion requiring the company’s presence, posted up in a theatre. “We’re CALLED for eleven to-morrow morning.”
Call-a-Go, in street “patter,” is to leave off trying to sell anything and to remove to another spot, to desist. Also to give in, yield, at any game or business. Probably from the “GO” call in cribbage.
Cameronians, The, the Twenty-sixth Regiment of Foot in the British Army.
Camesa, shirt or chemise.—Span. See its abbreviated form, [MISH], from the ancient Cant, COMMISSION. Probably re-introduced by the remains of De Lacy Evans’s Spanish Legion on their return. See Somerville’s account of the Span. Leg., for the curious facility with which the lower classes in England adopt foreign words as slang and cant terms. Italian, CAMICIA. This latter is the more likely etymology, as anyone who visits the various quarters where Irish, Italians, and a mongrel mixture of half-a-dozen races congregate and pig together, will admit.
Camister, a preacher, clergyman, or master.
Canary, a sovereign. From the colour. Very old slang indeed.
Canister, the head.—Pugilistic.
Canister-Cap, a hat.
Cannibals, the training boats for the Cambridge freshmen, i.e., “Cannot-pulls.” The term is applied both to boats and rowers.—See [SLOGGERS]. Torpids is the usual term for the races in which these men and machines figure.
Cannikin, a small can, similar to [PANNIKIN]. “And let the Cannikin clink.”