WATCH (timepiece)
ADJECTIVES
► BEHINT of a clock or watch: slow → 1911 Sc. (Bk.)
ADVERBS
► BEFORE of a watch or clock: fast → 1798 Sc.
NOUNS
► ALBERT a watch chain, esp. a gold one → 1975 criminals’ usage, arch. (Bk.)
► BISCUIT a watch → 1905 Amer. jocular usage(Bk.)
► BISCUIT TURNIP a watch → 1914 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► BLOCK a watch → 1914 criminals’ sl. (Bk.)
► BLOCK AND SLANG a gold watch and chain → 1910s US criminals’ sl.
► BLOCK AND TACKLE a watch and chain → L19 sl., orig. Aust.
► BOX OF MINUTES a watch → 1890 sl. (Bk.)
► BULL’S-EYE. a thick, small-faced watch often contained in a detachable, shell-like case → 1833 Amer. dial.
► BUNCH OF ONIONS a watch chain and seals → 1890 sl. (Bk.)
► CHARLEY ► CHARLIE a gold watch → c1830 cant
► DANGLER an earring; a watch fob; a pendant; any article of jewellery which swings free at one end → 1914 criminals’ sl. (Bk.)
► FACE a clock or watch → 1959 US sl.
► GLIGGERUM a very bad old worn-out watch or clock → 1910 Ireland (Bk.)
► HOROLOGIOGRAPHY the art of making timepieces; the description of watches and clocks → 1991 (Bk.)
► IRONCLAD an iron-cased watch → 1896 sl. (Bk.)
► JARK a watch → 1896 sl. (Bk.)
► JERRY a watch → 1889 thieves’ sl.
► JERRY-GETTING stealing watches → 1888 sl.
► JERRY-NICKING stealing watches → 1888 sl.
► JERRY-STEALING stealing watches → 1888 sl.
► KETTLE a watch → 1889 sl., chiefly criminals’ usage
► LARUM an apparatus attached to a clock or watch, to produce a ringing sound at any fixed hour → 1586 obs.
► LOGE a watch → L17 UK criminals’ sl.
► MOMENT-HAND the minute-hand of a clock or watch → 1809 Sc. obs.
► MONTRA a watch → 1819 sl., obs.
► MUG’S TICKER a counterfeit Swiss watch → 1977 UK sl.
► MUNTER a watch → 1594 Sc. obs.
► NEEP a bulky, old-fashioned watch → 1896 Sc.
► ONE-LUNGER a counterfeit watch → 1973 US sl.
► ONION 1. a seal or the like worn on a watch-chain → 1812 thieves’ sl.
2. a watch or clock → 1924 US criminals’ sl.
► ORACLE a watch → 1738 sl.
► QUEER THIMBLE a watch of no value → E19 UK criminals’ sl.
► RED-KETTLE a gold watch → 1879 sl.
► RED LOT a gold watch → 1933 sl.
► RED-TOY a gold watch → 1879 sl.
► RIDGE-MONTRA a gold watch → 1903 sl. (Bk.)
► SLAG a watch-chain or other decorative chain → 1857 criminals’ sl.
► SLANG a watch chain → 1912 US criminals’ sl. (Bk.)
► SUPER a watch → 1859 thieves’ sl.,
► SUPER-SCREWING watch-stealing → 1859 thieves’ sl.
► TABLE the face or dial-plate of a clock or watch → a1677 obs.
► TACKLE a watch chain → L19 sl.
► THIMBLE a watch → 1912 US criminals’ sl. (Bk.)
► TICKER a watch → 1829 sl.
► TIMER a watch or clock, with reference to its time-keeping qualities → 1884
► TURNIP a pocket timepiece; a watch → 1912 US criminals’ sl. (Bk.)
► WARMING-PAN a large old-fashioned watch → 1668 sl.
► WHITE LOT a silver watch → 1933 sl.
► YACK ► YAK a watch → 1812 UK sl.
NOUNS – PERSON
► CHRISTENER a criminal who fakes the identity marks, the ‘christening’, on cheap gold and silver watches → 1901 UK sl.
► JERRY-SNEAK a watch thief → 1896 thieves’ sl. (Bk.)
► HOOKER a stealer of pocket-watches → 1567 sl.
► WATCH-JOBBER a mender of watches, esp. as a watchmaker’s employee → 1895
► WATCH-WRIGHT a watchmaker → 1674 obs.
PHRASES
► IT RUNS ON GINGERBREAD WHEELS said of an unreliable timepiece → 1901 Eng. dial.
VERBS
► CHRISTEN to change any identifying marks or engravings on a stolen watch → 1753 criminals’ sl., obs.
► CHURCH A JACK ► CHURCH A YACK to take the works of one watch and place them in the case of another with the aim of disguising its origins → M19 UK criminals’ sl.
► FLASH ONE’S TICKER to air one’s watch → 1893 (Bk.)
► NAIL A STRIKE to steal a watch → 1909 UK criminals’ sl. (Bk.)
► NECK to beat or tick as a watch or clock → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► NIM A TATLER to steal a watch → 1821 sl.
► UNTHIMBLE to rob a man of his watch → E19 UK criminals’ sl.
Lexicophilia 