Captain Francis Grose - A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

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CURSETORS, vulgarly called VAGABONES a dictionary of buckish slang, university wit, and pickpocket eloquence A BOOK very useful and necessary (to be known, but not practiced] for all people Copyright 2020 by Chronicle Books LLC.
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It collects terms he overheard on late-night excursions in search of adventure through Londons slums, dockyards, and tavernsanywhere that, according to his contemporary British writer Pierce Egan, a bit of life could be seen to advantage, or the knowledge-box of the Captain obtain anything like a new light respecting mankind, he felt himself happy, and did not think this time misapplied. It was from these nocturnal sallies, and the slang expressions which continually assailed his ears, that Captain Grose was first induced to compile A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Grose describes the dictionary as drawing from Cant Language (basically, criminal lingo), as well as burlesque terms... drawn from the most classical authorities; such as soldiers on the long march, seamen at the capstern, ladies disposing of their fish, and the colloquies of a Gravesend boat. He also collected terms while witnessing executions. Inspired by a French satirical and burlesque dictionary, he felt the English language deserved its own, and pointed to the freedom of thought and speech riding along with such wit.

The dictionary as a whole is invaluable as a cultural record, and notable for the many terms therein that Grose collected as colorful that are still with us today (for example, birthday suit for nakedness), some of which Ive included at the end here. But many other of the thousands of words and phrases he collected have fallen into disuse, which is a shame. This selection is primarily culled from the 1796 edition (revised and released a number of times, the 1796 edition is the last that Grose oversaw, according to philologist and lexicographer Eric Partridge). It is meant be a LARK , fun and usefulpocket sized, and ready to add a little flair to conversations, or to wield in unfortunate encounters with ADDLE PATES . Still in Use Today AGAINST THE GRAIN APRIL FOOL BABBLE BAMBOOZLE BATTLE-ROYAL BIRDS OF A FEATHER BIRTHDAY SUIT BOLLOCKS BRAT CAT CALL CHAP DILDO ELBOW GREASE ELBOW ROOM FART FLOUT GLIB GLUM HELTER SKELTER HOCUS POCUS HODGE PODGE HONEY MOON HUSH MONEY JAIL BIRD JILTED KICK THE BUCKET KINGDOM COME LAME DUCK LINGO LOUT NICKNAME OAF PRICK QUOTA RANDY RASCAL RIFF RAFF SANDWICH SHAG SHAM SHEEPISH SHIP SHAPE SHOPLIFTER SLANG SNITCH SNIVEL SNOOZE SNUB SMUT

ACTIVE CITIZEN. A louse. ADDLE PATE. An inconsiderate foolish fellow. ADMIRAL OF THE NARROW SEAS. ALTITUDES. ALTITUDES.

The man is in his altitudes, i.e., he is drunk. ANCHOR. Bring your a-se to an anchor, i.e., sit down. ANKLE. A girl who is got with child, is said to have sprained her ankle. APPLE DUMPLIN SHOP.

A womans bosom. ARBOR VIT. A mans penis. ARS MUSICA. The backside. The Backside ARS MUSICA BLIND CUPID BUM-FIDDLE DOUBLE JUGG
(male)

A sodomite. BACON. He has saved his bacon; he has escaped. He has a good voice to beg bacon; a saying in ridicule of a bad voice. BAG OF NAILS. BALSAM. Money. Money.

BAPTIZED, or CHRISTENED. Rum, brandy, or any other spirits, that have been lowered with water. BARBERS SIGN. A standing pole and two wash balls. BARKING IRONS. BARNACLE. BARNACLE.

A good job, or snack easily got. BARREL FEVER. He died of the barrel fever; he killed himself by drinking. BASKET-MAKING. The good old trade of basket-making; copulation, or making feet for childrens stockings. plate i Basket-making BATCH.

We had a pretty batch of it last night; we had a hearty dose of liquor. Batch originally means the whole quantity of bread baked at one time in an oven. BAWBELS, or BAWBLES. Trinkets; a mans testicles. BEAR-GARDEN JAW. Rude, vulgar language such as was used at the bear-garden.

BEARD SPLITTER. A man much given to wenching. BEAST. To drink like a beast, i.e., only when thirsty. BEAST WITH TWO BACKS. BEAU TRAP. BEAU TRAP.

A loose stone in a pavement, under which water lodges, and on being trod upon, squirts it up, to the great damage of white stockings; also a sharper neatly dressed, lying in wait for raw country squires. BED. Put to bed with a mattock, and tucked up with a spade; said of one that is dead and buried. You will go up a ladder to bed, i.e., you will be hanged. BEDFORDSHIRE. BEEF. BEEF.

To cry beef; to give the alarm. They have cried beef on us. To be in a mans beef; to wound him with a sword. To be in a womans beef; to have carnal knowledge of her. BEGGAR MAKER. A publican, or ale-house keeper.

BEGGARS BULLETS. Stones. The beggars bullets began to fly, i.e., they began to throw stones. BELCH. All sorts of beer; that liquor being apt to cause eructation. BETWATTLED.