badge n.1
1. (UK Und.) in fig. senses.
(a) a brand used as a judicial punishment.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | New Canting Dict. n.p.: Badge is also us’d in a Canting Sense, for Burning in the Hand or Cheek (as it used to be) as, He has got his Badge, and pik’d away: He has been burn’d in the Hand, &c. and is just set at Liberty. | |
| , , , | | Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. 1725]. |
| Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue. |
(b) one who has been thus branded.
| New Dict. Cant (1795). | |
| Dict. Sl. and Cant. | |
| Lex. Balatronicum. | |
| Modern Flash Dict. 4: Badge, one burnt in the hand. | |
| Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open. |
2. from the wearer’s badge of office.
(a) (US prison) a warder, a guard, anyone in authority.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Prison Sl. 95: Badge [...] A policeman, prison guard or any person in the field of law enforcement who wears a badge or shield. | |
| Other Side of the Wall: Prisoner’s Dict. July 🌐 Badge: A correctional officer. | |
| Riker’s 66: ‘What block are you in?’ I told him what block. He said, don’t worry, we got somebody [i.e. a suborned guard] there. We got a badge. She works for us. |
(b) (US) a police officer; private badge, a private detective.
| Great Falls Trib. (MT) 2 Mar. 12/2: With the transaction completed the badge was to show and McClintock placed under arrest. | |
| in Collier’s 8 Aug. 30: Police authorities are ‘badges.’. | |
| ‘Crepe for Suzette’ Thrilling Detective Oct. 🌐 You were there a long time before the badges arrived. Right? | |
| Men from the Boys 🌐 The boy badge have his hand out? | |
| Room to Swing 149: A private badge can’t operate unless he keeps on the good side of the police. | |
| Breakfast at Tiffany’s 93: All the badges want from me is a couple of free grabs and my services as a state’s witness against Sally. | |
| ‘Sally in Our Alley’ in Gentleman Junkie (1961) 117: Since when do the badges need help from impecunious poets? | |
| Gonif 93: It was a nice feeling to have three or four spots that would throw a blanket over you when the badges or Feds were closing in. | |
| London Fields 89: John Dark, the corrupt policeman – the bent copper, the tarnished badge, the iffy filth. | |
| Hard Candy (1990) 11: The local badges had a bad attitude. | |
 | see sense 2a. | |
| Mad mag. July 15: They call me a ‘badge,’ a ‘peace officer’, a ‘man in blue’. | |
| (con. 1973) Johnny Porno 29: ‘This one [i.e. a target for murder] brings extra heat.’ ‘Sounds like a badge’. |
(c) (N.Z. prison) an over-inquisitive prisoner, seen as a possible informer [the supposed badge is that of a policeman].
![[NZ]](/static/img/flags/nz.png "New Zealand") | Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 11/2: badge n. a nosey inmate who asks many questions. |
In compounds
(US police) a woman particularly attracted to police officers.
| Betrayal in Blue 138: The owner was a housing cop who welcomed officers [...] More than once the crew and their badge bunnies hooked up for orgies on the pool table. |
1. one who draws a pension from their parish; they are distinguished by a special badge.
| New Canting Dict. n.p.: badge-coves Parish-Pensioners, who, notwithstanding their Allowances, beg about the Streets. | |
| , , , | | Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. |
| , , | | Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue. |
| Dict. Sl. and Cant. | |
| Lex. Balatronicum. | |
| Life and Adventures. | |
| Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc. 5: Badge Coves — Paupers who wear the livery of their parish. | |
| Modern Flash Dict. | |
| Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open. | |
| New and Improved Flash Dict. n.p.: Badge-coves parish paupers or pensioners. |
2. (Polari) an old gay man.
| Fabulosa 289/1: badge cove an old person . |
1. (US) a detective.
| Wise-crack Dict. 6/1: Badge man – Detective. |
2. (US prison) an inmate who identifies with the authorities rather than his peers [the badge of the person in charge].
| et al. DAUL 21/1: Badge-man. (P) A prisoner who serves as an informer for the authorities. ‘That muzzler (contemptible fellow) ain’t kidding me. He’s an undercover badge-man.’. | |
| Prison Sl. 34: Auxiliary Cop also State Con An inmate who conducts himself in such a manner to appear more like an employee of the prison than a prisoner. These inmates may hold jobs of minor authority over other prisoners, be in charge of certain supplies or fraternize with guards. […] (Archaic: badge man). |