In (or up) the flue, phr. (common).—Pawned. For synonyms, see Pop.
1821. Real Life, etc., I., p. 566.
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, II., p. 250. I’ve had sometimes to leave half my stock in flue with a deputy for a night’s rest.
Up the flue (or spout), adj. phr. (colloquial).—Dead; collapsed, mentally or physically.
To be up one’s flue, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be awkward for one. That’s up your flue = That’s a ‘facer,’ or that’s up against you.
Flue-Faker (or Scraper), subs. (common).—A chimney-sweep. [From Flue + Faker (q.v.).] Minor clergy = young chimney sweeps. For synonyms, see Clergyman.
1821. Egan, Tom and Jerry, p. 60. The ‘office’ has been given to ‘shove’ the poor flue-faker against Tom’s light drab coat.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, or Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
1882. Punch. LXXXII., p. 185, col. 2.
Fluff (or Fluffings), subs. (railway clerks’).—1. Short change given by booking-clerks. The practice is known as Fluffing. Cf., Menavelings. Fr., des fruges (= more or less unlawful profits of any sort).