Glanthorne, subs. (old).—Money. For synonyms, see Actual and Gilt.
1789. Parker, Life’s Painter, p. 42. Drop the glanthorne = part with money. [[152]]
Glasgow Greys, subs. phr. (military).—The 70th Foot. [Which in the beginning was largely recruited in Glasgow.]
1886. Tinsley’s Mag., Apr., p. 321. The 70th were long known as the Glasgow Greys.
Glasgow Magistrate, subs. phr. (common).—A herring, fresh or salted, of the finest. [From the practice of sending samples to the Baillie of the River for approval.] Also Glasgow Baillie.
1855. Strang, Glasgow and its City Clubs. This club … better known by the title of the Tinkler’s club, particularly when the brotherhood changed the hour of meeting … and when the steak was exchanged for a ‘Welsh rabbit’ or Glasgow magistrate.
English Synonyms. (for herrings generally).—Atlantic ranger; Californian; Cornish duck; Digby chicken; Dunbar wether; gendarme; Gourock ham; magistrate; pheasant (or Billingsgate pheasant); reds; sea-rover; soldier; Taunton turkey; two-eye’d steak; Yarmouth capon. Fr.: gendarme.
Glass, subs. (American thieves’).—An hour. [An abbreviation of ‘hour-glass.’]
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. The badger piped his Moll about a glass and a half before she cribbed the flat.
There’s a deal of glass about, phr. (common).—1. Applied to vulgar display = ‘It’s the thing’ (q.v.).