swatchel slang.
(ˈswɒtʃəl)
Also 9 schwassle.
[Perh. f. G. schwätzeln, frequentative form of schwatzen to chatter, tattle.]
An older form of swazzle; also interpreted as the name for Mr. Punch in a Punch and Judy show. Freq. attrib., as swatchel box, swatchel cove (see quots.).
| 1854 Househ. Words 24 Sept. 76/1 A Punch's show [is] a schwassle-box. 1864 Hotten Slang Dict., Swatchel-cove, the master of a Punch-and-Judy exhibition who..does the necessary squeak for the amusement of the bystanders. 1887 W. E. Henley Villon's Good-Night in J. S. Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 174 You swatchel-coves that pitch and slam. 1900 Sat. Rev. 19 May 613/1 Students of Romany..will find some interest in a list furnished to a friend who handed it on to me by a ‘swatchel-cove’ or peregrinating Punch-exhibitor. 1921 Glasgow Herald 24 June 7 ‘Swatchel’ is Mr Punch, hence ‘Swatchel-box’ the show, and ‘Swatchel cove’ the patterer. c 1938 A. Hambling Punch & Judy 3 Wet the swatchel, and having fixed the thread, put it on the tongue crosswise. 1983 Listener 22 Sept. 14/3 The word ‘swatchel’ is Punch and Judy showmen's slang for the figure of Punch. |