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A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains. See Bargain.
Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.
Article * AssigNathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang
John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes
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Francis Grose was independently wealthy, having inherited money from his father, a jeweller. Finding himself overspending, he published a number of books; his Provincial Glossary seems to have been the starting-point for the Vulgar Tongue reproduced here.