When a person attempts to effect a particular object, in which he fails, we say, “He can’t do it by a long chalk.”Ĭhap – A boy, lad, a fellow. “The Courthouse is catty-cornered from the drugstore.”Ĭavort – To frolic or prance about, to be lively, having fun.Ĭat Wagon – A wagon that carried prostitutes along cattle trailsĬausey – A causeway, or way raised above the natural levelĬavallard – Caravans crossing the prairies.Ĭelestial – A term used in the West to refer to people of Chinese descent the word derives from an old name for China, the “Celestial Empire.”Ĭhalk – Not by a long chalk. To be made a tool or instrument to accomplish the purpose of another.Ĭatstick – A bat used by boys in a game at ballĬatty-Cornered – Diagonally across. “You can’t sneak up on that dude any sooner than you can catch a weasel asleep.”Ĭattle Baron – A cattle owner with numerous herds of stock, welding power and influence in an area.Ĭats-Paw – To be made a cats-paw of. Also “catawamptiously.”Ĭatawamptiously Chawed Up – Completely demolished, utterly defeated.Ĭatch A Tartar – To attack one of superior strength or abilities.Ĭatch a Weasel Asleep – Referring to something impossible or unlikely, usually used in regard to someone who is always alert and seldom or never caught off guard.

“You can’t come it over me so.”Ĭaporal – The ranch foreman or roundup boss.Ĭap the Climax – To beat all, surpass everything.Ĭardinal – The name of a woman’s cloak, from the red or scarlet habit worn by cardinals.Ĭarryall – A four-wheeled pleasure carriage, capable of holding several persons.Ĭatawampous – Fiercely, eagerly, awry, cockeyed, crooked, skewed. The dance will start at early candle-light.Ĭan’t Come It – Cannot do it. (From when pioneer men went West, leaving their wives to follow later.)Ĭalk – Sharp points of iron on horse or ox shoes to prevent their slipping on ice.Ĭandle-light – Dusk. “Those to are in cahoots together.”Ĭalamity Jane – Obviously the hard-cussing, heavy-drinking frontier woman, but is also a gambling term for the Queen of Spades.Ĭalash – A covering for the head, usually worn by ladies to protect their head-dresses when going to evening parties, the theatre, etc.Ĭalf Slobbers – Meringue on the top of pie.Ĭalifornia Prayer Book – Gambling term for a deck of cards.Ĭalifornia Widow – A woman separated from her husband, but not divorced. Also called “kit and caboodle.”Ĭaboose – A ship’s cooking-range or kitchen.Ĭahoots – Partnership, company or band. Wonder if we could understand what these California men were saying back in 1894?Photo by B.W.

Define muzzle dance