Clod Pates, Sapsculls and Noddies: Fools in the Regency Era

Francis Grose, author of Dictionary of he Vulgar Tongue

by Maria Grace

Since I am a writer, language captivates me, especially in the way it relates to a culture. With three teen aged sons living at home I get to hear a lot of the slang they encounter. I never cease to be fascinated by the terms that come up, and how often I haven't a clue what they are referring to.

Since every era has its own unique slang, I thought it would be interesting to share some Regency era slang from time to time. Today's offering: calling out a fool in a Regency appropriate way.

A Fool

AddlePate, Clod Pate, Shallow Pate

Ben

Buzzard

Chaw Bacon. A countryman. A stupid fellow.

Cod's Head

Dummie: A wooden man. A fool.

Gudgeon: One easily imposed on. from the fish of that name, which is easily taken.

Gull: A simple credulous fellow, easily cheated.

Jack Adams

Jacob

Jolter Head: A large head; metaphorically a stupid fellow.

Loggerhead

Lout: A clumsy stupid fellow.

Mud

Nick Ninny, Nickumpoop, or Nincumpoop, Ninny, or Ninnyhammer

Nickin, Nikey, or Nizey. A soft simple fellow: also, a diminutive of Isaac.

Nocky Boy

Noddy

Nokes

Paper-scull,  Sapscull

Pig-widgeon

Ralph Spooner

Rum Cull: A rich fool, easily cheated, particularly by his mistress.

Simkin

Simon: Sixpence. Simple Simon; a natural, a silly fellow;

Simpleton: Abbreviation of simple Tony or Anthony, a foolish fellow.

Spoony: Foolish, half-witted, nonsensical; a man who has been drinking till he becomes disgusting by his very ridiculous behavior, is said to be spoony drunk; and from hence it is usual to call a very prating shallow fellow, a rank spoon

Tom Coney

Tony

To Describe a Fool Plainly

• Beetle-headed, Buffle-headed, Chuckle-headed, Fat Headed, Leatherheaded, Mutton-headed
• Benish
• Bird-witted: Inconsiderate, thoughtless, easily imposed on.
• Cakey
• Clumpish
• Cork-brained
• Sammy
• Sappy
• Squirish
• Windy

To Describe a Fool more colorfully

• A poor honey: a harmless, foolish, good-natured fellow.
• A hubble-bubble fellow: a man of confused ideas, or one thick of speech, whose words sound like water bubbling out of a bottle.
• He is no burner of navigable rivers: he is no man of extraordinary abilities; or, rather, he is but a simple fellow.
• He is a young chub, or a mere chub: a foolish fellow, easily imposed on: an allusion to a fish of that name, easily taken.
• His garret, or upper story is empty, or unfurnished: He has no brains, he is a fool.
• He is like a rope-dancer's pole, lead at both ends: a saying of a stupid sluggish fellow.
• Pudding-headed Fellow: A stupid fellow, one whose brains are all in confusion.
• He was rocked in a stone kitchen: his brains having been disordered by the jumbling of his cradle.
• Sleeveless Errand: A fool's errand, in search of what it is impossible to find.

To Make a Fool of Someone

• Bam. A jocular imposition, the same as a humbug. See
• Humbug. Bamboozle. To make a fool of any one, to humbug or impose on him.
• 
  

Quoted from: Grose, Captain (Francis). (2004) Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 1811 ed. Ikon Classics

Related articles

• The Vulgar Tongue - a dictionary of slang by Francis Grose
• The sheer delight of historical slang...
• A little colorful language: Weddings and Marriage

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 Maria Grace is the author of Darcy's Decision,  The Future Mrs. Darcy, All the Appearance of Goodness, and Twelfth Night at Longbourn.  Click here to find her books on Amazon. For more on her writing and other Random Bits of Fascination, visit her website. You can also like her on Facebook, follow on Twitter or email her.