I found an interesting page from the tongue-in-cheek web site, “The Art of Manliness” at: http://artofmanliness.com. As tongue-in-cheek the site may be, the phrases quoted from the page entitled ?Manly Slang from the 19th Century? were taken dictionaries from the 1800’s.

Here are some examples from the page:

Barking-Iron, or Barker: A pistol. Term used by footpads and thieves generally.

Half-mourning. To have a black eye from a blow. As distinguished from ? whole-mourning,? two black eyes.

Out of Print. Slang made use of by booksellers. In speaking of any person that is dead, they observe, ??he is out of print.?

Rib. A wife.

Sneeze-lurker. A thief who throws snuff in a person?s face, and then robs him.

Here is the link: Manly Slang from the 19th Century