subs. phr. (Oxford University).—1. A sell; a hoax; a trumpery affair.
2. (common).—Misfortune; ill-luck. A variant is COLD GRUEL; also TO HAVE ONE’S COMB CUT; in French, to experience a run of ill-luck is expressed by être abonné au guignon; literally ‘to become a subscriber to ill-luck’; in Spanish, dar al traste con los negocios, signifies, colloquially, ‘to fail’ or ‘to be unfortunate in business.’
3. (familiar).—An unpleasant return or snub for a proffered kindness.
