Slang and its analogues past and present, volume 3 (of 7)

by John Stephen Farmer; William Ernest Henley

2. (American).—An auctioneer’s rostrum.

Humbox Patterer, subs. (common).—A parson. For synonyms, see Devil Dodger and Sky Pilot.

1839. G. W. M. Reynolds, Pickwick Abroad, p. 223. Though the humbox patterer talked of hell.

Humbug, subs. (old: now recognised).—1. A hoax; an imposture; a swindle.

1735–40. Killigrew, The Universal Jester; or a pocket companion for the Wits: being a choice collection of merry conceits, facetious drolleries, &c., clenchers, closers, closures, bon-mots, and Humbugs. [Title].

1754. Connoisseur. No. 14. Single words, indeed, now and then broke forth; such as—odious, horrible, detestable, shocking, humbug. This last new-coined expression, which is only to be found in the nonsensical vocabulary, sounds absurd and disagreeable whenever it is pronounced.

1762. Churchill, The Ghost, bk. I., line 72. And that Great Saint, we Whitefield call, Keeps up the Humbug Spiritual.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

1828. Webster, Eng. Dict., s.v.

2. Deceit; pretence; affectation.