eel, n.² — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

eel n.²

[SE eel, seen anthropomorphically as an untrustworthy creature]

1. (US, Western) a native of New England.

1838		T. Haliburton Clockmaker II 264: There’s the hoosiers of Indiana [...] the eels of New England and the corn-crackers of Virginia.
1843		T. Haliburton Sam Slick in England I 236: Why, as I am a livin’ sinner that’s the Hoosier of Indiana, or [...] the Eel of New England.

2. (orig. US) anyone who possesses the ‘slippery’ qualities of the fish, e.g. an accomplished escaper from prison, a spy, a confidence trickster.

1841		D. Boucicault London Assurance in London Assurance and other Victorian Comedies (2001) Act V: Judgment has been given in five cases [...] but Mr Courtly is an eel rather too nimble for my men. We have been on his track and traced him down to this village.
1890		Edinburgh Eve. News 9 Apr. 2/7: They would simply be disenfranchised by the dishonest legislation of Mr Gladstone. There never was such a slippery eel in thed world as he was.
1918		H. Simon ‘Prison Dict.’ in AS VIII:3 (1933) 26/2: EEL. A smooth guy. ‘Whitey,’ who escaped three times from solitary confinement clear to the outside, was an acknowledged eel.
1930		M. West Babe Gordon (1934) 174: The double-crossin’ heel! [...] Stole the job I would’ve got if I hadn’t put her wise to it. The cesspool eel!
1932		Hull Dly Mail 20 June 1/2: he was [...] known as a ‘slippery eel’ and a ‘double crosser’.
1939		V. Davis Gentlemen of the Broad Arrows 177: Ask her to forgive you for being such an ‘eel’.
1941		‘Digg Mee’ ‘Observation Post’ in N.Y. Age 26 Apr. 9/7: I know that you ain’t no eel, and collars my jive and my spiel.
1948		Z.N. Hurston Seraph on the Suwanee (1995) 808: That she-eel made it quick. Had George working so hard till he soon come down with heart trouble.
1951		Cusack & James Come in Spinner (1960) 32: To hell with her, Guinea said to herself. Slinking along like a pre-war eel.

eel juice (n.) [? it makes one wriggle like an eel; note SE liquor, the green sauce that is served with eels at pie and mash shops]

liquor.

1999–2003		Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America ‘Ace Insura’ on Virtual University 🌐 But no one spoke of insurance, not one peep or whistle. Feeling like a boozehound without his eel juice, I scribbled a quick sign that read, ‘Will Solve Insurance Quandaries for Food.’.
2001		cwnews ‘Events’ in Eye on CameraWare III Apr. 🌐 I entered a couple of communities and threw back a couple of glasses of eel juice, just to get a make on the place. As I sucked back on a little hooch, I began to notice all the cute tomatoes around me.

eel’s ankle (n.) (also eel’s hips, trout’s ankles) [all on pattern of cat’s pyjamas n.]

(US) something extraordinary or very special.

1922		Wash. Times (DC) 30 Oct. 14/2: He’s some bird [...] He’s the eel’s ankle.
1923		H.C. Witwer Fighting Blood 103: I wish you could of curled an eye over this stationery. It was the eel’s ankle, no fooling! [Ibid.] 141: I bet you’re the snake’s hips, no foolin’! [Ibid.] 212: This boy’s the trout’s ankles, hey?
1926		F.W. Pollock ‘The Current Expansion of Sl.’ in AS II:3 145: We find [...] ‘eel’s hips’.

eel’s eyebrows (n.)

something utterly repellent.

1923

Wodehouse Inimitable Jeeves 205: ‘This club [...] is the limit.’ ‘It is the eel’s eyebrows.’.

eel out (v.)

(US) to avoid a problem, esp. in a deceitful, self-serving way.

1923

H.C. Witwer Fighting Blood 175: I learned [...] how to eel out of a tight corner when I’m pinned on the ropes.