Henry George is going to leave New York for a while. He is probably jealous of Liberty, whose mouth is a yard wide.—Philadelphia North American.
They hev wandered with their sorrers unto the sunny South,
They hev got tremendous swallows, and a monstrous lot of mouth.
Big nuts to crack (American), a difficult or large undertaking.
Big pond (American), the Atlantic.
He (old Clay) is all sorts of a hoss, and the best live one that ever cut dirt this side of the big pond, or t'other side either.—Sam Slick: The Clockmaker.
Big pot (common), a somebody, a person of consequence.
My name is Peter Smifkins,
I live with ma at Slough;
I've got a city clerkship,
So I'm quite a big pot now.
Big side runs (Rugby), the open paper chases.
Big sides (schools), a school term for the practice games at football, where all or nearly all the boys join in. It was originally used at Rugby.
Big take (American), anything very much affected or popular. A grand acquisition, a fashion, a success.
We hear that certain fragrant and cunningly contrived bouquets for ladies are a big take in New York. In the centre of the pretty bunches of flowers half-pint bottles are neatly concealed. The bottles are filled with cool refreshing cocktails; straws run through the corks, and as the gentle daughters of Eve take a sniff, they can enjoy a "snifter."—Fun.
Big, to look (common), to assume an inflated air or manner. To "talk big," to talk in a boasting manner, from the propensity of very small men to assume "bumptious" or defiant ways. These expressions have almost ceased to be slang.
Big wig (common), a pompous, conceited individual. Also applied by the lower classes to those in a high station of life or office. Thus a judge or nobleman will be termed a big wig. The word is used in a good-humoured, familiar sense.
The portraits of Holy Bonifacius, Bishop of Budgeon, and all the defunct big-wigs of the college.—Thackeray: Lovell the Widower.
Talbot Twysden's dinner-table is large, and the guests most respectable. There is always a big-wig or two present.—Thackeray: The Adventures of Philip.
This morning he went np of his own accord afore the Lord Mayor or some of them city big-wigs.—Dickens: Martin Chuzzlewit.
(Nautical), a high officer.
Bikin (gypsy), to sell; bikin engro, a merchant, or one who sells.
Bildar or beldars (Anglo-Indian), a term applied to diggers with the spade or mattock in the public works.
Ye lyme is allé out—ye masons lounge aboute!
Ye beldars have alle strucke and are smoking att their eese,
Ye brickes are alle done!—
Ye kyne are skynne and bone,
And ye threasurour has bolted wyth xii thousand rupees!
