Francis Grose - The dictionary of the vulgar tongue : a dictionary of buckish slang, university wit and pickpocket eloquence

The great approbation with which so polite a nation as France has received the Satirical and Burlesque Dictionary of Monsieur Le Roux, testified by the several editions it has gone through, will, it is hoped, apologise for an attempt to compile an English Dictionary on a similar plan; our language being at least as copious as the French, and as capable of the witty equivoque; besides which, the freedom of thought and speech arising from, and privileged by, our constitution, gives a force and poignancy to the expressions of our common people, not to be found under arbitrary governments, where the ebullitions of vulgar wit are checked by the fear of the bastinado or of a lodging during pleasure in some jail or castle.

The many vulgar allusions and cant expressions that so frequently occur in our common conversation and periodical publications, make a work of this kind extremely useful, if not absolutely necessary, not only to foreigners, but even to natives resident at a distance from the Metropolis, or who do not mix in the busy world: without some such help, they might hunt through all the ordinary dictionaries, from Alpha to Omega, in search of [some of these] words, all terms of well-known import at Newmarket, Exchange Alley, the City, the Parade, Wapping and Newgate.

The fashionable words, or favourite expressions of the day, also find their way into our political and theatrical compositions: these, as they generally originate from some trifling event, or temporary circumstance, on falling into disuse, or being superseded by new ones, vanish without leaving a trace behind

To prevent any charge of immorality being brought against this work, the Editor begs leave to observe, that when an indelicate or immodest word has obtruded itself for explanation, he has endeavoured to get rid of it in the most decent manner possible; * and none have been admitted but such as either could not be left out without rendering the work incomplete, or in some measure compensate by their wit for the trespass committed on decorum. Indeed, respecting this matter, he can with great truth make the same defence that Falstaff ludicrously urges in behalf of one engaged in viz. that he did not seek them, but that, like rebellion in the case instanced, they lay in his way, and he found them.

The Editor likewise begs leave to add, that if he has had the misfortune to run foul of the dignity of anybody of men, profession or trade, it is totally contrary to his intention and he hopes the interpretations given to any particular terms that may seem to bear hard upon them, will not be considered as his sentiments, but as the sentiments of the persons by whom such terms were first invented, or those by whom they are used.

* Note to Hesperus edition: For the sake of clarity we thought it preferable to restore all bowdlerised words to their full contents.

Abbess, or lady abbess A bawd, the mistress of a brothel.

Abel-wackets Blows given on the palm of the hand with a twisted handkerchief, 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 ladys waiting-maid.

Abram Naked.

Abramcove A cant word among thieves, signifying a naked or poor man; also a lusty, strong rogue.

Abrammen Pretended mad men.

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. Campbells Academy, the same, from a gentleman of that name, who had the contract for victualling the hulks or lighters.

Accounts To cast up ones accounts; to vomit.

Ace of Spades A widow.

Acorn You will ride a horse foaled by an acorn, i.e. the gallows, called also the wooden or Three-legged Mare. You will be hanged.

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 gratis.

Active citizen A louse.

Adams ale Water.

Adam tiler A pickpockets associate, who receives the stolen goods, and runs off with them.

Addle pate An inconsiderate foolish fellow.

Addle plot A spoilsport, a mar-all.

Admiral of the narrow seas One who from drunkenness vomits into the lap of the person sitting opposite to him. (Sea phrase)

After-clap A demand after the first given in has been discharged; a charge for pretended omissions; in short, anything disagreeable happening after all consequences of the cause have been thought at an end.

Against the grain Unwilling. It went much against the grain with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.

Aground Stuck fast, stopped, at a loss, ruined; like a boat or vessel aground.

Air and exercise He has had air and exercise, i.e. he has been whipped at the carts tail; or, as it is generally, though more vulgarly, expressed, at the carts arse.

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 bad bill of exchange, drawn on persons who have no effects of the drawer.

Ale draper An alehouse keeper.

Ale post A may-pole.

All holiday It is all holiday at Peckham, or it is all holiday with him, a saying signifying that it is all over with the business or person spoken of or alluded to.

Allnations 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.

Altamel A verbal or lump account, without particulars, such as is commonly produced at bawdy houses, spunging houses, etc.

Altitudes The man is in his altitudes, i.e. he is drunk.

Ambassador A trick to duck some ignorant fellow or landsman, frequently played onboard 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.

Ambidexter A lawyer who takes fees from both plaintiff and defendant, or that goes snacks with both parties in gaming.

Amen curler A parish clerk.

Amen He said Yes and Amen to everything, he agreed to everything.

Aminadab A jeering name for a Quaker.

Ames ace Within ames ace, nearly, very near.

Amuse To fling dust or snuff in the eyes of the person intended to be robbed; also to invent some plausible tale, to delude shopkeepers and others, thereby to put them off their guard.