Page 5 - eMuse Vol.9 No.10_Neat

a plumber he was frequently There is also a more crude Shebeen: Irish and Scottish
called in by Chinese when version, “sweet F*** All”, slang for a place where alco-
repairs were needed in their meaning the same thing. holic drinks are sold illegally.
opium dens or gambling Sgt: Abbreviation of “Ser- Also any cheap or sordid
shops . . .” tavern. Originates from the
geant.”
Through that lad the “Sen- Shackles: Soup made from left- Irish “sïbïn” = a small mug or
timental Bloke” was born, a overs. small beer.
larrikin in whom rough man- She’ll be apples: “Apples and
ners and crude language Shanghai Coach spice” rhymes with “nice”.
were rounded to be compat- An alternate explanation is
ible with a soft heart. Shanghai Coach: A light weight it’s an abbreviation of “as
coach made by Cobb & Co. rosy as apples”.
Den’s (C. J. Dennis) child- at the Charleville factory in
hood ambition was to be- Queensland. It was particu- Sheetbend: A knot used to
come a larrikin himself even larly useful in sand or mud. bend the end of a line on
though there was clearly no Cobb & Co used the Shanghai to a bight or eye of another
opportunity to do so in the and sold them. (Illustration line, used especially with
bush towns where he grew fro the Cobb & Co Catalogue large lines.
up.” Shackles c 1903.) Shick (shickered): Intoxicated.
Shackles: Various restraints
Sesame Street: Hume High- used to chain, hands, or, Shanghai: See “ging”. Shilling short of a quid, a: Not
way.
feet neck of prisoners. Shangers: Colloquial nickname very smart. Not in full posses-
Session: Pub opening hours. for Shanghai (the City). Al- sion of one’s mental ability.
Shackles: Hobbles.
Set to: To attack; to regard with ternate spelling “Shankers”.
disfavour. Shank’s Pony: (Shank’s mare in
Set, to have: To have marked the USA and Canada) From
down for punishment or re- an 18th century reference to
venge. Hobbles be powered by one’s shanks
Seven: “It’s all in the seven” Shackles: Anything that pre- (lower leg). A pun on the sur- Shilling
name “Shank”.
was a philosophical expres- vents freedom of thought, Shilling; An Australian coin
sion used by regular soldiers procedure, etc. Shanty: A roughly built dwell- from prior to 1966 when
who had enlisted for seven ing, hut. decimal currency took over.
years with the colours (i.e. Shafter: The horse closest the Shanty: A sailor’s song. It’s face value was 10 cents.
on continuous day-to-day coach, wagon, etc Twelve pennies made up on
service). Shanty: A rough bush inn or sly
grog shop. shilling and twenty shillings
made up one pound (£1)
Sharpie: A kind of long, flat-bot- which equalled $2.
tomed boat with one or com-
monly two masts, each rigged Australian currency prior to
with a triangular sail, for- 1966 was identical to, but
merly in use along the North not quite equal in value to
Atlantic coast of the US. the British system at the
time. See “bob”.
Shine: Excellent; desirable.
Singers: Colloquial nickname
Shako for Singapore.
Sextant
Shako: A military cap in the Disclaimer: In this series in-
A, Telescope; B, index mirror; form of a cylinder or trun- tolerable and racist speak
C, shade glass; D, horizon cated cone, with a peak and may turn up from time to
mirror; E, graduated arc; F, a plume or pompom. This time. Such words are not
handle; G, movable index style of shako was worn in necessarily the editor’s view.
arm; H, micrometer drum: i, the British Army between They are presented merely
clamp: J, magnifying glass, 1829 and 1844. The wear- Shearer as facts which sometimes
K, index bar; L, frame. ing of a ball tuft instead Shearer: One who shears show biased attitudes from
Sextant: An astronomical in- of plumes was introduced sheep. another era.
strument used in measuring around 1835. We should look at our histo-
angular distances, especially British officers wore this Shebang: Colloquial for thing, ry as it actually was without
the altitudes of sun, moon, style of shako while serving affair, business. (Of Celtic sanitising it to suit our own
and stars at sea in determin- in the Australian colonies. Origin?) sensibilities. This will hope-
ing latitude and longitude. Shebang: Hut, shanty or shack. fully show up racism and
Shandrydan: A rickety old
SFA: See “Sweet Fanny Ad- fashioned vehicle. Alternate Shebang: New Zealand slang other evils to be the abomi-
ams”. spelling “Shandhra-dhan”. for a brawl or disturbance. nation they really are.

October 2020 eMuse 5