figure, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

figure n.¹

[SE figure, a number]

1. a sum of money, esp. a bill.

1785		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1821		W.T. Moncrieff Tom and Jerry III ii: She wants the tippery – there – (gives money). There, that’s the figure, Jerry!
1848		Bartlett Dict. Americanisms.
a.1856		Thackeray Bk of Snobs 37: Accommodating the youngster, who had just entered the regiment, with a glandered charger at an uncommonly stiff figure .
1873		Sl. Dict.
1886		Cornhill Mag. Mar. 304: About what is their figure? asked Mr. Corder. Slim and graceful, answered the lady. I don’t mean that, said the ex-smoked-mother-of-pearl-button manufacturer; I mean, what is each of them worth in money? [F&H].

2. (US black) in pl./constr. with the, a popular form of street gambling called Policy, which involves predicting a combination of the winning numbers (between 000 and 999) at a racetrack, esp. widespread in US black community.

1938		Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 26 Feb. 11/1: George Wiltshire struck the figures [...] for a sizeable sum.
1949		Dan Burley ‘Back Door Stuff’ 20 Aug. [synd. col.] Suppose you whispered to the cop on the corner that she’s collecting figures.
1957		D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam News 13 Apr. 13: Bricktop hit the figures last week.

SE in slang uses

In compounds

figure-dancer (n.) [they make the ‘figures dance’ + pun on SE figure-dancer, one who performs in a figure-dance; i.e. a dance that offers representations of famous historical events]

a forger who specializes in altering the figures on banknotes, usu. adding a zero to make 10 into 100.

c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions n.p.: Figure Dancer. One who Alters figures on Bank Notes, converting tens to hundreds.
1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue (2nd, 3rd edn).
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1882		Dly Dispatch (Richmond, VA) 1 Nov. 3/3: ‘A figure-dancer’ [is] one who alters figures in checks.
1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks 39/1: Figure dancer, one who alters value of checks or bank notes.

figure-eight (n.) [? the twisting of the body]

(US drugs) a fake fit or similar spasm, used by an addict attempting to persuade a doctor to give out drugs.

1936		D. Maurer ‘Argot of the Und. Narcotic Addict’ Pt 1 in AS XI:2 121/1: figure eight. A feigned spasm.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1959		J.E. Schmidt Narcotics Lingo and Lore.

figure-fancier (n.)

a man who prefers plump women.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

figure-maker (n.)

a womanizer.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

figure-waltzing (n.)

(UK Und.) the writhings of one who is being publicly whipped as a judicial punishment.

c.1850

Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.

In phrases

figure on (v.)

to total up (a bill or account) against.

1773		Gent.’s Mag. XLIII 654: His antagonist [...] figured on him (as his phrase is) at the game of two-handed whist, about £200.
1781		W. Cowper Correspondence (1904) letter 3 Oct. 360: Your draft is worded for twenty pounds, and figured for twenty-one.

miss one’s figure (v.)

to miss a chance.

1829		in N.E. Eliason Tarheel Talk (1956) 135: Professors Mitchell and Olmstead have missed the figure [...] in their speculations on the gold mines.
1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

figure n.1

SE in slang uses

In compounds

In phrases

figure n.¹