by Jenna Dawlish
In 1785, Francis Grose published his dictionary of slang in Britain. It was the first of it's kind and contains a wonderful array of slang terms used back then. It shows a colourful and expressive time, and not only gives us a snapshot of language, it also helps us see how many words are still used to this day (in the UK at least):
Words/terms like: cat call, chubby, cockney, cow juice, cupboard love, dram, easy virtue, old fogey, hanker, peepers, paunch, riff raff, sick as a horse and slouch.
The full book is available free online here, it's outside copyright. You can also buy paperback versions.
Below are a few of the entries I liked to give you a taste but why not have a look at the full dictionary and see what you like:
ACCOUNTS: to cast up ones accounts - to vomit.
ACT OF PARLIAMENT: A military term for small beer, five pints of which, by an act of parliament, a landlord was formerly obliged to give to each soldier.
APPLE DUMPLING SHOP: A woman's bosom
BUCK FITCH: A lecherous old fellow
BUGABOO: A scare-babe, or bully-beggar
CAMBRIDGE FORTUNE: a woman without any but personal endowments
CAPTAIN QUEERNABS: a shabby, ill-dressed fellow
DANCERS: Stairs
DOCK: to lie to a woman
DUB O' TH' HICK: A lick on the head
FAT CULL: A rich fellow
GRANNAM: Corn
GREEN SICKNESS: The disease of maids occasioned by celibacy
JACK TAR: A sailor
MOON MEN: Gypsies
NUNNERY: A bawdy house
PEPPERED: Infected with the venereal disease
PIMP WHISKIN: A top trader in pimping
REP: A woman of reputation
SCALY FISH: A honest, rough, blunt sailor
TO TROLL: To loiter or saunter about
TURNPIKE MAN: A parson, because the clergy collect their tolls at the entrance into and exit from life.
USED UP: Killed: a military saying, originating from a message sent by the late General Guise on the expedition at Car-thagena, where he desired the commander in chief to order him some more grenadiers for those he had were all used up.
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www.jennadawlish.com
Fascinating! Thanks for the link, I have wn landed th book, which I am sure will come in handy as a reference! :)
ReplyDeleteWhoops, that's "downloaded"!
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! I use 'trolling around' even now...
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe they have a phrase for this - how often were people vomiting in each other's laps?!
ReplyDeleteADMIRAL OF THE NARROW SEAS. One who from drunkenness
vomits into the lap of the person sitting opposite to
him. SEA PHRASE.
Good post
ReplyDelete