PREFACE.In the preparation of this " Dictionary of American Slang" it has been the aim of the compiler to include as many as practicable of those words and phrases which, though they find no place in standard dictionaries, enter so largely into the everyday speech of the people.The United States, when it borrowed the language of the Mother Country, adopted also many of its colloquialisms and many more of its provincialisms. Ours is the tongue that Shakespeare spoke, and our inheritance includes much of the heterodox philology of our British cousins. Especially with respect to sporting and theatrical slang, and to the language common to the thief and the thief-catcher and known as "Thieves* patter," the majority of words, and phrases are as often used in one country as in the other.About the Publisher Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst digitally enhancing the difficult to read text. Read books online for free at http://www.forgottenbooks.org