HABERDASHER OF PRONOUNS. A schoolmaster, or usher. HACKNEY WRITER. One who writes for attornies or booksellers. HACKUM. Captain Hackum; a bravo, a slasher. HAD'EM. He has been at Had'em, and came home by Clapham; said of one who has caught the venereal disease. HAIR SPLITTER. A man's yard. HALBERT. A weapon carried by a serjeant of foot. To get a halbert; to be appointed a serjeant. To be brought to the halberts; to be flogged a la militaire: soldiers of the infantry, when flogged, being commonly tied to three halberts, set up in a triangle, with a fourth fastened across them. He carries the halbert in his face; a saying of one promoted from a serjeant to a commission officer. HALF A HOG. Sixpence. HALF SEAS OVER. Almost drunk. HAMLET. A high constable. Cant. HAMS. or HAMCASES Breeches.
Based on the Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue A Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit and Pickpocket Eloquence by Francis Grose published originally in 1811
