A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar TongueThe 1931 edition of the classic that presents the fashionable words and favorite expressions of olden times. |
Common terms and phrases
a-se adjective allusion bawdy-house beat beef beer beggars Ben Jonson blow breeches bully C19 dialect C19 slang called Cant cant language cant.F canting crew cheat clothes cock colloquial common Cotgrave cove cull darkmans derived Devil Dictionary DOG LATIN dram dress drink drunk Dutch early edition English eyes famous fellow fool formerly Francis Grose French frequently gallows girl Grose guts hanged Harman head Highwaymen horse Irish JACK jocular lame duck Latin legs Lincolnshire link-boy liquor London means meant mistress modern mort mouth Newgate nick name nose noun obsolete one's originally perhaps person phrase pickpocket play pocket practised pretending prison probably prostitute pudendum QUEER recorded rogue sailors saying Scotland Scottish Sea term sense Shakespeare signifying slang soldiers steal sword tail thieves trick Tyburn variant verb vulgar wench whence whip whore wife woman word Yorkshire
Popular passages
Page 15 - AMBASSADOR. A trick to duck some ignorant fellow or landsman, frequently played on board ships in the warm latitudes. It is thus managed: A large tub is filled with water, and two stools placed on each side of it. Over the whole is thrown a tarpaulin, or old sail: this is kept tight by two persons, who are to represent the king and queen of a foreign country, and are seated on the stools.
Page 17 - To follow like a tantony pig,' ie to follow close at one's heels. Some derive this saying from a privilege enjoyed by the friars of certain convents in England and France, sons of St Anthony, whose swine were permitted to feed in the streets. These swine would follow any one having greens or other provisions, till they obtained some of them ; and it was in those days considered an act of charity and religion to feed them. St Anthony was invoked for the pig.
Page 3 - With several NEW CATCHES and SONGS. ALSO A COMPLEAT CANTING DICTIONARY, BOTH OF Old Words, and such as are now most in Use. A Book very useful and necessary (to be known, but not practised) for all People.
Page 23 - BALUM RANCUM. A hop or dance, where the women are all prostitutes. NB The company dance in their birthday suits.