Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a corrupt jockey; also attrib.

1844		Sporting Rev. 11 164: Milsom, finding it impossible to hold his horse, or, to adopt his own phraseology, ‘to come Captain Armstrong any longer,’ had goaded the steed with the right spur, and losing his right rein, had pulled out of the course.
1851		Sporting Mag. Dec. 402: The Captain Armstrong system has arrived at such a pitch, that another year of it will, if I mistake not, go nigh to to undermine, if not totally to destroy, the whole fabric of our racing system.
1852		Sporting Mag. 20 208: We have not an iota of belief in this or any other ‘Captain Armstrong’ insinuation against high-class jockeys.
1864		Sporting Life 5 Nov. (Leader) n.p.: Captain Armstrong is again abroad, muscular and powerful, riding his favourite hobby in the steeple-chase field [...] [F&H].
1868		Owl 20 May 4/2: Racing Notes [...] He is likely to be pulled, as, from what we hear, it is the intention of his owners to put up ‘Captain Armstrong’.
1873		Bailey’s Mag. May 289: ‘There’s that Blanky feller a pullin’ of that blanky ’orse’ [...] It is plainly a bonâ-fide case of Captain Armstrong, for it is very evident The Kinchin, bad as he is, is far the best of the lot, and could win anyhow, if his jockey chose.
[1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 11 Apr. 17/3: James Goater, the veteran English jockey, experienced a little difficulty in obtaining a renewal of his licences for the current season. […] Of course, everything was ‘satisfactory explained’ (it always is in these cases), and Goater got his licence. All the same for that, it has been Goater’s misfortune through his lengthy career in the pigskin to be connected with a terrible lot of instances of ‘inexplicable form,’ and to have earned for himself the romantic-sounding soubriquet of ‘Strong-arm’ among the more suspicious of the English backers].
1886		Bailey’s Mag. 46 413: One of the saddest sights to me is to see a broken-down jockey enacting the part of tipster, and cadging shillings and ‘halfdollars’ from the unwary punters [...] He had practised ‘Captain Armstrong’ so palpably as to be banished from the Turf.
1890		Dead Bird (Sydney) 1 Feb. 7/1: ‘He’s a fine horseman, [...] but he’s by Captain Armstrong, out of Young Roper's dam!’.
1894		Truth (Sydney) 17 June 1/6: All serene, Layemstiff; she’ll score a brilliant defeat tomorrow [...] I’ll have Johnny Armstrong up on her in the race.
1894		Truth (Sydney) 14 Oct. 4/5: The most successful jockey [...] is a youth, named Johnny Armstrong, who rides at all weights, and pilots his mounts with his legs — and arms!
1896		Badminton Mag. 2 500: Over professional jockeys the ruling authorities do undoubtedly exercise a very strict supervision, and cases of questionable riding are promptly and rigorously investigated ; but the ‘qualified’ thief often plays Captain Armstrong all over the country for years.
1897		Truth (Sydney) 10 Jan. 5/3: Six of them in, and five quite dead, that takes me altogether / [...] / While five are held by Armstrong, Jy, and one is having a go.
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 24 Mar. 24/4: M. Harris, rider of Hector II., [...] was ‘sent-up’ for 12 months, but it really seemed hard that he should have been picked out as scapegoat for so many Johnny Armstrongs. At least one horse could have ‘walked in,’ had he been wanted, but the stewards made no sign in that direction.
1901		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 2 Jan. 1/2: The gentleman jock [...] is now generally known as the jockey ‘Johnny Strongarm’.
1900–10		Stephens & O’Brien Materials for a Dict. of Aus. Sl. [unpub. ms.] 90: JOHNNY ARMSTRONG: a jockey who ‘pulls’ a horse.
1904		Sun. Times (Perth) 22 May 4/8: Never more I’ll ring a roughie in wot I’ve been keeping dark / Never more will Johnny Armstrong pull me prad at Oyster Park.

a bully, a braggart.

1693		Congreve Old Bachelor i: dramatis personae: Captain Bluffe.
1699		N. Ward London Spy XII 290: A kind of a Captain Bluster, who was so brimful of Oaths, that he ran over like a Southwark-Ditch at the Spring-Tide.
1720		N. Ward Delights of Bottle 33: And then some spunging, fencing Bully, / That makes each silly Fop his Cully, / Aproves the Claret, damns his Blood, / And swears ’tis right, by all that’s Good, / The rest submit to Captain Bluff.
1733		Craftsman 26 May 38: He may lug out Toledo and swagger, like Captain Bluff, while his Enemy is at a Distance.
1763		‘Rodondo’ in Scots Mag. June 340/1: And still a patriot firm and true, / Is not oblig'd to buckle to; / But stands upon his honour still, / Like captain Bluff, or Bobadil.
1794		J. Courtenay Present State of the Manners [...] of France 86: You’ve widow’d enough / For old Captain Bluff.
1865		(ref. to 1733) S. London Chron. 23 Dec. 5/2: I[from the play Jephtha’s Rash Vow, presented at Bathrolomew Fair] In the Daily Post of Sept. 10, 1733, a celebrated droll is advertised [...] with the comical humours of Captain Bluster and his man Diddimo.

a bully, a braggart.

[1763		J. Shebbeare Lydia I 197: We must now turn our Eyes towards the *****, commanded by the Honourable Captain Bounce].
1822		Scott Pirate III 259: [note] [He] attended the Rose Coffee-house regularly, went to the theatre every night, told mercilessly long stories about the Spanish main, controled reckonings, and bullied waiters, and was generally known by the name of Captain Bounce.
1828		Morn. Post 25 Aug. 3/5: The ladies have another general gallant — [...] in the person of Captain Bounce.
1862		Sheffield Indep. 17 June 9/3: Here comes the Rake’s Coach, with Ignorance his Luggage, Pride his black-Guard, and Impudence his Driver [...] Captain Bounce with a drum at his back, seated by his lady, Vanity Vapid.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1899		Era 28 Oct. 9/3: Captain Bounce, an accomplished traveller and still more accomplished liar.

(UK Und.) a cowardly blustering man.

c.1850

Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict. n.p.: Captain Bubble-and-squeak a cowardly blustering bravo, who is easily silenced by resistance.

(Aus.) that member of a group who, recently or temporarily well-off, is expected to buy drinks for the rest.

1950

‘No. 35’ Argot in G. Simes DAUS (1993).

(US campus) an unattractive, old-fashioned male.

1996

Eble Sl. and Sociability 70: Cheese became a metaphor for ‘something unattractive or undesirable’ and gave rise to the [...] personified Captain Cheddar, and the French equivalent, fromage.

a dashing man.

1750		Ordinary of Newgate Account 26 Mar. 28/2: He has had his Stand near Hatton-Garden, in Holborn, where he was known by the Name of Capt. Flash, upon Account of his being a brisk, gay, young Fellow, and making a better Appearance than his Brethren of the Whip, generally speaking, did.
1759		D. Garrick Miss in her Teens 14: One of them is a fine blustering man, and is called captain Flash; he is always talking of fighting and wars.
1779		‘A Card Party’ in Universal Mag. June 322/1: Lady Trifle I hear that Captain Flash is gone abroad.
1783		G.W. Lemon Eng. Ety. n.p.: swash [...] one who clatters his sword on his buckler; a mere Captain Flash.
1815		Sussex Advertiser 6 Nov. 3/2: Garrick’s Popular Comedy of ‘Miss in her Teens’. Captain Flash by Mr Kinloch.
1824		Yorks. Gaz. 8 May 4/3: Prologue [...] spoken by the Author, as Captain Flash.

1. (UK Und.) a blusterer, a coward.

1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
1871		Leeds Times 9 Dec. 6/5: [His] real name, he told the doctor, was Jonathan Blinker but he had been known to fame by several aliases, the most familiar of which was Captain Flashman.
1876		[E. Gale] Public School Matches 51: As for you, Captain Flashman [...] You would think it an awful bore to go down by the rails to the Derby and bet your half-crown on the race, as I do, and I should think it an awful bore to be well known at ‘the Corner’ and have a heavy bok .
1876		Punch 70-71 67/2: The Swindleham Skating Company (Limited). Promoters, Captain Flashman and Sir Hokem Snyvey.

2. in phr. stand Captain Flashman, to pay the bill for one's companions.

1806

W. Cooke Memoirs of Charles Macklin 145: Upon these occasions, Macklin, to use his own phrase, ‘stood Captain Flashman,’ that is, paid the charge.

a haughty, blustering man.

1827		W.L. Rede Wedded Wanderer 731: ‘Attorney! fiddlestick, don’t you come Captain Grand over me,’ said the lady.
1830		letter in Fraser’s Mag. Dec. 537/2: Still more wanton was it to represent him as being less cordial to me at one time than another; and, as you facetiously call it, ‘playing the captain grand’.
1840		F. Chamier Ben Brace 253: Therefore, coming Captain Grand over him, I said, ‘Here, my good fellow, as you may on your arrival be very busy with the other passengers and your cargo’ [etc.].
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues II 35/2: Captain Grand [...] (old). – A haughty, blustering bully.

a bully, a braggart.

1688		T. Shadwell Squire of Alsatia Dramatis Personae: captain hackum, a blockheaded bully of Alsatia; a cowardly, impudent, blustering fellow.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew.
1725		New Canting Dict.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
[1739		Scots Mag. 5 Jan. 13/1: A large parcel of theatrical goods [...] The great hat and whiskers of Captain Hackum were purchased by commission].
1755		Oxford Jrnl 27 Sept. 2/2: Old Captain Hackum has been upon half-pay these forty years, with the justest Pretensions ever Man had, is not so half so angry [etc.].
1769		Oxford Jrnl 28 Jan. 1/2: There was a Cherokee chief [...] a Punch [...] a Captain Hackum.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1821		Flash Dict.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.

(US Und.) a swaggering, blustering bully.

1859

Matsell Vocabulum 17: captain heeman A blustering fellow, a coward.

a braggart, a bully, a thug.

1693		Congreve Old Bachelor IV iv: O monstrous filthy fellow! Good slovenly Captain Huffe, Bluffe, (what is your hideous name?).
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew.
1713		Echard & L’Estrange (eds.) Eunuch in Terence’s Comedies 81: This Captain Huff-cap imagining he had heen a Rival brought under his Nose to affront him, thought he would do something that should plague her too.
1725		New Canting Dict.
1759		Farquhar Recruiting Officer V:3: You have made a fine speech, good Captain Huffcap ; but youhad better be quiet, l shall find a way to cool your courage.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1787		J. O’Keefe Fontainbleau III:1: Why, mistress sent me for captain Huff, to see if he can bully this Lackland out of the house.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1872		Era 27 Oct. 12/1: She, determined not to have a rival in his affections, engages Captain Huff, a swash-buckler [...] to aid her.

(UK Und.) a penniless, swaggering bully.

a.1790

H.T. Potter New Dict. Cant (1795).

a shabby, ill-dressed person.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Captain-Queere-nabs c. a Fellow in poor Cloths, or Shabby.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
c.1750–1882		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
[1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc. 123: Queer Nabs — shabby genteel].
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict. n.p.: Captain queer Nabs, a dirty fellow without shoes.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open [as cit. 1835].
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.

a mocker.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues II 35/2: Captain Quiz [...] (old). – A mocker.

1. (US black teen) a man who lavishes attentions and gifts on a woman; his aim is seduction, but despite his expensive efforts he is rarely successful; also a husband (see cit. 2002).

1996		S. Caulton Man Hunt 44: I’m Captain Save-A-Ho looking for a good time and an easy lay and I see just the sistah I would love to have it with.
1997–2000		College Sl. Research Project (Cal. State Poly. Uni., Pomona) 🌐 Captain save-a-ho (noun) A man who does positive things for ugly hos.
1999		Dr Dre ‘XXplosive’ 🎵 Captain Save’Em all day (bitch) well save this dick / Bitch nigga, you more of a bitch than a bitch / You ain’t into hittin pussy, or hittin the switch / You into hittin bitches off of the grip, you punk bitch.
2009		T. Nasheed Play or Be Played 50: Captain Save-a-Ho. The Captain Save-a-Ho brotha is the pushover who likes to come to a woman's rescue, in the hopes of winning her over for sex.
2011		T. Max Assholes Finish First 322: The crises started small but kept building, kept getting bigger and bigger and more and more time-consuming. Before I realized what was happening, she turned me into Captain Save-a-Ho.
2019		N. Walker Cherry 78: I told the one that he was a rapist. He asked me if I was Captain Save-a-Ho.

2. (US black) a husband.

2002

Hip-Hop Connection June 22: We then made out with these housewi..., I mean hoes, in front of her crib while Captain Save-A-Ho (married chick’s husband) was counting sheep upstairs.

(UK Und.) a prostitute’s accomplice, who hides and robs the client.

c.1850

Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict. n.p.: Captain Shaddy a mean rascal, a fellow who attends prostitutes in their nocturnal rambles, and when she has decoyed her game into some by-place or dark alley, this reptile suddenly pounces upon his prey, robs him and shares the booty with his female colleague.

1. a cardsharp, a cheat.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Captain-sharp, a great Cheat [...] also a Huffing, yet Sneaking, Cowardly Bully.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Captain sharp. A cheating bully, or one in a set of gamblers, whose office is to bully any pigeon, who, suspecting roguery, refuses to pay what he has lost (cant).
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.

2. a hired thug used to police corrupt gambling games.

1785

Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

the penis.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

the leader of a mob; thus the mob itself.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Captain Tom a Leader of, and the Mob.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

the leader of a band of highwaymen.

1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant I 225/2: Captain Crank (old cant) head of a gang of highwaymen.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

(UK Und.) a leading highwayman.

a.1790		H.T. Potter New Dict. Cant (1795) n.p.: captain tober highwayman.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant n.p.: captain tober first rate of highwayman.
1821		Flash Dict.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.

the flesh of an old calf.

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: captain lieutenant meat between veal and beef; the flesh of an old calf, a military simile, drawn from the officer of that denomination, who has only the pay of a lieutenant, with the rank of a captain, and so is not entirely one or the other, but between both.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

a euph. phr. used to indicate that a woman is menstruating.

c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions n.p.: The Captain is come, or at home. The catamenia are come down.
1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue (2nd, 3rd edn).
1980		Maledicta IV:2 (Winter) 197: Or she may permit a bit of bazooka (= all but), refraining from sexual intercourse because the flag is up, indicating that the captain [...] is home.