Regency Slang A

back

abbess, or lady abbess	A bawd, the mistress of a brothel.
able-wackets	blows given on the palm of the hand with a twisted handkerhief, instead of a ferula; a jocular punishment among seamen, who sometimes play at cards for wackets, the loser suffering as many strokes as he has lost games.
abigail	a lady's waiting-maid
abited	mildewed. Kent
aboon	above. N.
above par	tolerably drunk.
Abram	naked. cant.
Abram men	pretended mad men.
Abram cove	a cant word amont thieves, signifying a naked or poor man; also a lusty, strong rogue.
to sham Abram	to pretend sickness.
academy, or pushing school	a brothel. The floating Academy; the lighters on board of which those persons are confined, who by a late regulation are condemned to hard labour, instead of transportation. --Campbell's Academy; the same, from a gentleman of that name, who had the contract for victualling the hulks or lighters.
ace of spades	a widow.
accounts	to cast up one's accounts; to vomit
acorn	You will ride a horse foaled by an acorn, i.e. the gallows, called also the Wooden and Three-legged mare. You will be hanged. See Three-Legged Mare.
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 each soldier gratis.
acteon	a cuckold, from the horns planted on the head of Acteon by Diana.
active	citizen a louse.
ackersprit	a potato with roots at both ends. N.
acknown	acknowledged. N.
ackwards	when a beast lies backwards and cannot rise, he is said to lye ackwards. N.
Adam's ale	water.
adam tiler	a pickpocket's associate, who receives the stolen goods, and runs of with them. Cant.
addle pate	an inconsiderate foolish fellow.
addle plot	a spoil-sport, a mar-all.
admiral of the blue	who carries his flag on the mainmast. A landlord or publican wearing a blue apron, as was formerly the custom among gentlemen of that vocation.
admiral of the narrow seas	one who from drunkenness vomits into the lap of the person sitting opposite to him. sea phrase.
adrift	loose, turned adrift, discharged. sea phrase.
advised	I a'n't advised of it, I cannot recollect it or am ignorant of it. Norfolk.
ae	yes. N. and S.
ægrotat	(Cambridge) A certificate from the apothecary that you are indisposed, (i.e.) to go to chapel. he sports an Ægrotat, he is sick, and unable to attend Chapel, or Hall. It does not follow, however but that he can Strum a piece, or sport a pair of oars.
affidavit men	knights of the post, or false witnesses, said to attend Westminster Hall, and other courts of justice, ready to swear any thing for hire.
after-clap	a demand after the first given in has been discharged; a charge for pretended omissions; in short, any thing disagreeable happening after all consequences of the cause have been thought at an end.
afterings	the strokings, or last of a cow's milk. Derbyshire
aftermaths	the pasture after the grass has been mowed. N. and S.
against the grain	unwilling. It went much against the grain with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.
agates, or agateward	on the way: I will set you agates, or agateward; I will accompany you part of the way. N.
agest, or agast	afraid. N.
agging	murmuring, raising a quarrel, egging or edging is an expression used in most countries, signifying exciting or whetting on persons to quarrel. Exm. This word is probably derived from the French verb, agacer, to provoke
agog, all-a-gogg	anxious, eager, impatient: from the Italian agogare, to desire eagerly.
aground	stuck fast, stopped, at a loss, ruined; like a boat or vessel aground.
agye	to look agye, to look aside. N.
aidle	to aidle, to earn or work for. N.
air and exercise	He has had air and exercise, i.e. he has been whipped at the cart's tail; or, as it is generally, though more vulgarly, expressed, at the cart's a-se.
aish	stubble; wheat or oat aish. Hamp.
aixes	an ague. Northumberland
alanteum	at a distance. N. and S.
alderman	a roasted turkey garnished with sausages; the latter are supposed to represent the gold chain worn by those magistrates.
aldgate	a draught on the pump at Aldgate; a bid bill of exchange, drawn on persons who have no effects of the drawer.
ale-draper	publican, an ale-house keeper.
alegar	i.e. ale-aigre, sour ale used as vinegar. Cumberland
ale post	a May-pole.
alkithole	a fool, a silly oaf. Exmore
all-a-mort	struck dumb, confounded. What, sweet one, all-a-mort? Shakespeare.
allemang	mixed together; a Wiltshire saying, when two flocks of sheep are accidently driven together
Allemash day	Allumag-day, the day on which the Canterbury silk weavers begin to work by candlelight. Kent
allern-batch	a kind of botch, or old sore Ex.
all holiday it is	all holiday at Peckham, or it is all holiday with him; a saying signifying that it it is all over with the business or person spoken of or alluded to.
all hallow	He was beat all hallow, i.e. he had no chance of conquering: it was all hollow, or a hollow thing, it was a decided thing from the beginning. See hollow.
all nations	a composition of all the different spirits sold in a dram-shop, collected in a vessel into which the drainings of the bottles and quartern pots are emptied.
alls	The five alls is a country sign, representing five human figures, each having a motto under him. The first is a king in his regalia; his motto, I govern all: the second , a bishop in pontificals; motto, I pray for all: third, a lawyer in his gown; motto, I plead for all: fourth, a soldier in his regimentals, fully accoutred; motto, I fight for all: fifth, a poor countryman with his scythe and rake; motto, I pay for all.
all's bowman	all's well.
Alpe, Nolpe, or blood Oplh	a bullfinch. Norfolk and Suffolk
altamel	a verbal or lump account, without particulars, such as is commonly produced at bawdy-houses, spunging-houses, &c. Vide Dutch reckoning.
altitudes	The man is in his altitudes, i.e. he is drunk.
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. The person intended to be ducked plays the Ambassador, and after repeating a ridiculous speech dictated to him, is led in great form up to the throne, and seated between the king and queen, who rising suddenly as soon as he is seated, he falls backwards into the tub of water.
ambassador of Morocco	a shoemaker. (See Mrs. Clarke's Examinations.)
ambidexter	a lawyer who takes fees from both plaintiff and defendant, or that goes snacks with both parties in gaming.
amell	between, used in dividing time; amell one and two o'clock.
amen	he said yes and amen to every thing; he agreed to every thing.
amen	curler a parish clerk.
ames ace	within ames ace; nearly, very near.
aminadab	a jeering name for a Quaker.
ammat	a luncheon before dinner. W.
amper	a fault, defect, or flaw; an amprey tooth, a decayed tooth. Kent.
amuse	to fling dust or snuff in the eyes of the person intended to be robbed; also to invent some plausible tale, to delude shop-keepers and others, thereby to put them off their guard. Cant.
amusers	rogues who carried snuff or dust in their pockets, which they threw in the eyes of any person they intended to rob; and running away, their accomplices (pretending to assist and pity the half-blinded person) took that opportunity of plundering him.
anabaptist	a pickpocket caught in the fact, and punished with the discipline of the pump or horse-pond.
anauntrins	peradventure, if so be. Northumberland.
anchor	bring your a-se to anchor, i.e. sit down. To let go an anchor to the windward of the law; to keep within the letter of the law. sea wit.
anchor	of a buckle, the chape. Cloucestershire
ancliff	the ancle. N.
ancle-bowing	a method of fencing sheepgrounds, used at Exmore and Somersetshire
angelic	simple young woman.
anent	opposite. Derby and N.
aneoust	of an aneoustness, nearly the same. Gloucesterhire
aneust	about the matter, nearly. Berkshire
anglers	pilferers, or petty thieves, who, with a stick having a hook at the end, steal goods out of shop windows, grates, &c.; also those who draw in or entice unwary persons to prick at at the belt, or such like devices.
angling for farthings	begging out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.
ang-nails	corns on the feet. Cumberland.
ankle	a girl who is got with child, is said to have sprained her ankle.
anodyne necklace	a halter.
Anthony	to knock Anthony. Said of an in-kneed person, or one whose knees knock together; to cuff Jonas. See Jonas.
Anthony Pig	the favorite, or smallest pig of the litter or farrow. To follow like a tantony pie, i.e. St Anthony the hermit was a swineherd, and is always represented with a swine's bell and a pig. 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.
antle-beer	cross-wise, irregular. Exm.
apartments to let	empty headed.
ape leader	an old maid; their punishment after death, for neglecting increase and multiply, will be, it is said, leading apes into hell.
apostles	(Cambridge) Men who are plucked, refused their degree.
apothecary	to talk like an apothecary; to use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.
apothecary's bill	a long bill.
apothecary's or law Latin	barbarous Latin, vulgarly called dog Latin, in Ireland bog Latin.
apple cart	Down with his apple cart; knock or throw him down.
apple dumplin shop	a woman's bosom.
apple-pye bed	a bed made apple-pye fashion, like what is called a turnover apple-pye, where the sheets are so doubled as to prevent any one from getting at his length between them: a common trick played by frolicsome country lasses on their sweethearts, male relations, or visitors.
April Fool	any one imposed on, or sent on a bootless errand, on the first of April; which day it is the custom among the lower people, children, and servants, by dropping empty papers carefully doubled up, sending persons on absurd messages, and such like contrivances, to impose on every one they can, and then to salute them with the title of April Fool. This is also practised in Scotland under the title of Hunting the Gowke.
apron string hold	an estate held by a man during his wife's life.
apurt	sullen. Exm.
area-sneak	burglar through a house's area
aquabob	an isicle. Kent.
aqua pumpaginis	pump water. Apothecaries Latin.
aquott	weary of eating. Ex.
arbor vitæ	a man's penis.
arch duke	a comical or eccentric person.
arch rogue, dimber damber upright man	the chief of a gang of thieves or gypsies. Arch dell, or arch doxy signifies the same in rank among the female canters or gypsies.
arain	a spider, from the French, araignee. N.
arders	fallowings, or ploughings of ground. N. and S.
arf	afraid. N. Ise arf, I am afraid
argol	tartar or lees of wine. N. and S.
argosies	ships. N.
ark	a large chest; from the Latin word arca. Northumberland
ark	a boat or wherry. Let us take an ark and winns, let us take a sculler. Cant.
ark ruffians	rogues who, in conjunction with watermen, robbed, and sometimes murdered, on the water, by picking a quarrel with the passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard, &c. A species of badger. Cant.
arles, or earles	money paid to bind a bargain, called earnest or earles penny. N.
armour	In his armour, pot valiant; to fight in armour; to make use of Mrs. Philips's ware. See c--d--m.
arr	a mark of scar. Cumberland. Hence pock-arr'd, marked by the small pox.
rrah now	a unmeaning expletive, frequently used by the vulgar Irish.
ars(e) musica	a bum fiddle.
arse	to hang an arse; to hang back, to be afraid to advance. He would lend his a--e, and shi-te through his ribs; a saying of any one who lends his money inconsiderately. He would lose his a--se if it was loose; said of a careless person. A--e about; turn round.
arseward	backward. Cumberland
arsy-varsy	head over heels. Derbyshire and N. to fall arsy varsey, i.e. head over heels.
art	eight. Exmore
arteen	eighteen. Exmore.
Arthur; King Arthur	a game used at sea, when near the line, or in a hot latitude. It is performed thus: A man who is to represent King Arthur, ridiculously dressed, having a large wig made out of oakum, or some old swabs, is seated on the side, or over a large vessel of water. Every person in his turn is to be ceremoniously introduced to him and to pour a bucket of water over him, crying, hail, King Arthur! If during this ceremony the person introduced laughs or smiles (to which his majesty endeavours to excite him, by all sorts of ridiculous gesticulations), he changes places with, and then becomes king Arthur till relieved by some brother tar, who has as little command over his muscles as himself.
article	a wench. a prime article. a handsome girl. She's a prime article (Whip slang), she's a devilish good piece, a hell or a goer.
articles	breeches; coat, waistcoat, and articles.
arvill	a funeral. N.
arvill supper	a feast made at funerals. N.
a-scat	broken like and egg. Devon
ashelt	likely, probably. D.
ash trug	a coal scuttle. Cumb.
ashler	large free stone. Cumb.
ask or asker	a newt. N.
ask, or ax-my a--e	a common reply to any question: still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains. See bargain.
a-slat	crack'd like an earthen vessel. Dev.
asley	wittingly. Northumberland.
assig	assignation.
astite	anon, shortly, as soon as; i.e. as-tide. Tide in the north signigfies soon, and tider, or titter, sooner.
atchison	a Scotch coin, worth four bodles. N.
Athanasian wench, or quicunque vult.	a forward girl, ready to oblige every man that shall ask her.
altter	matter, pus, sanies
attern	fierce, cruel, snarling, ill-natured
attercob	a spider; from ater, blood, and cob, a tyrant. attercob is also used for a cobweb
aud	old. N.
audfarsand	oldfashioned, old like. Grave and sober. N.
auk	aukward, untoward. S.
aum	an elm. Northumberland
aumbray, ambrey, or aumery	a pantry, a cupboard for holding victuals. N.
aunder, or oneder	the afternoon. Ches.
aunt	mine aunt; a bawd or procuress: a title of eminence for the senior dells, who serve for instructresses, midwives, &c. for the dells. Cant. See dells.
autem	a church.
autem bawler	a parson. Cant.
autem caklers, or autem prickears	dissenters of every denomination. Cant.
autem cackle tub	a conventicle or meeting-house for dissenters. Cant.
autem dippers	anabaptists.
autem divers	pickpockets who practice in churches; also churchwardens and overseers of the poor. Cant.
autem gogglers	pretended French prophets. Cant.
autem mort	a married woman; also a female beggar with several children hired or borrowed to excite charity. Cant.
autem quavers	Quakers.
autem quaver tub	a Quakers' meeting-house. Cant.
auter	strange work, or strange things. N.
average	the breakings of cornfields, edish, roughings. N.
avoir du pois lay	stealing brass weights off the counters of shops. Cant.
avrore	frozen, frosty. Exmore.
awake	acquainted with, knowing the business. Stow the books, the culls are awake; hide the cards, the fellows know what we intended to do
awf	an elf, a fairy. Derby, and N.
awlung	all owing to. Lan. and N.
awn'd ordained	fated; I am awn'd to ill luck. N.
awns	the beards of wheat or barley; in Essex pronounced Ails. N.
awnters	a peradventures, or in case; it also means scruples, he is troubled with awnters. N.
axen	ashes. Hamp. and W.
axwaddle	a dealer in ashes, and sometmes one that tumbles in them. Exmore
aye	always, continually; for every and aye. Northumb. and N.
azoon	anon, presently. Exmore

back

top