French Prints, subs. (colloquial).—Generic for indecent pictures.
1849–50. Thackeray, Pendennis II., ch. xxxi. Young de Boots of the Blues recognised you as the man who came to barracks, and did business, one-third in money, one-third in eau-de-Cologne, and one third in French prints, you confounded, demure, old sinner.
French Vice, verb. phr. (venery).—A euphemism for all sexual malpractices; Larks (q.v.). First used (in print) in the case of Crawford v. Crawford and Dilke.
Frenchy, subs. (colloquial).—A Frenchman.
Fresh, adj. (University).—1. Said of an undergraduate in his first term.
1803. Gradus ad Cantabrigiam, s.v.
1866. Trevelyan, Horace at Athens. When you and I were fresh.
2. (common).—Slightly intoxicated; elevated. For synonyms see Drinks and Screwed, (Scots’ = sober).
1829. Marryat, Frank Mildmay, ch. xiii. Drinking was not among my vices. I could get fresh, as we call it, when in good company and excited by wit and mirth; but I never went to the length of being drunk.
3. (Old English and modern American).—Inexperienced, but conceited and presumptuous; hence, forward, impudent.