Green’s Dictionary of Slang

ringtail n.2

[SAusE ringtail, a possum, known for ‘playing dead’ when threatened]

1. an irritable, unpleasant person.

1898
1900191019201930194019501960
1962
[UK]R. Batchford Tommy Atkins of the Ramchunders 65: [of an army recuit] ‘See this ringtail without a hat?’.
[US]Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 159: Ring Tail.–A grouchy individual.
[US]A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks 98/1: Ring tail, an ignorant, loud mouthed, vulgar person.
[US]Baker ‘Influence of American Sl. on Australia’ in AS XVIII:4 256: With Americans a ringtail is a grouchy person; with Australians he is a coward.
[US]Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 815: ring tail – A grouchy individual.

2. (Aus.) used of humans or animals (usu. horses), one who enters a sporting event, e.g. a race, under false credentials.

1900
190019101920193019401950
1954
[Aus]Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 10 Oct. 1/1: Next to owning a ring-tail, sporting good horse, the best thing is to own a pretty good one, and know how to approach the handicapper with an argument that convinces him your horse is no good.
[Aus]Sun. Times (Perth) 19 June 3rd sect. 17/3: It was in a Sheffield Handicap [...] that a ped was ‘rung in.’ Writer forgets for the moment under what name he entered, but this ‘ring-tail’ was made the eleventh-hour favorite for his heat.
[Aus]Truth (Sydney) 16 May 41/5: I immediately raced across to where the stipes [...] were climbing down from their stand and I challenged them. ‘That thing,’ I said, pointing to Maister Jolly, ‘that’s a possum (ringtail)’.

3. (Aus.) a coward.

1924
193019401950
1955
[Aus]C.J. Dennis ‘The Faltering Knight’ in Chisholm (1951) 74: I ain’t a ringtail; but, by gum, it’s tough. I loves me wife too much to treat ’er rough.
[US]Baker ‘Influence of American Sl. on Australia’ in AS XVIII:4 256: With Americans a ringtail is a grouchy person; with Australians he is a coward.
[Aus]N. Pulliam I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 238/1: ringtail – a coward.

4. (US) a tramp (who is seen as inevitably ill-tempered); also as adj.

1926
19301940
1949
[US]AS I 652/2: Ring-tail, a Hobo who is carrying a ‘grouch’.
[US](con. 1890) G. Milburn ‘A Convention Song’ in Hobo’s Hornbook 26: There was Boogie Sam and Biff ’n’ Bam [...] Hikes and Spikes and Old Ring-tail Sykes. [Ibid.] 27: Now here I am in Omaha, / A hungry, ring-tailed bum, / Tooting ringers for poke outs, / When what I want is slum.
[US]Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).

5. (US tramp) a tramp who is a poor beggar and sponges off his peers or takes temporary employment.

[US]J. Callahan Man’s Grim Justice 132: The poorly dressed boys were the dynamiters, shovel stiffs, Gay Cats, Ring Tails, Ding Bats, the men who couldn’t beg successfully, who are not recognized by the Johns and who are detested because they work now and then.

6. (US prison) an informer.

[US]D. Clemmer Prison Community (1940) 335/1: ring tail, n. An informer; a stool pigeon; a squealer.