The Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue

The mistresses of a brothel were known as "Abesses

Now you too can recognize an 'abbess' from  a  'yellow boy'!

Penned by soldier Francis Grose, and a runaway success when first published in 1811, the "Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue" can now be viewed online. Here are some of the London Telegraph's favorites:

ABBESS: Mistress of a brothel.

BABES IN THE WOOD: Criminals in stocks or pillory.

BLIND CUPID: Backside.

BOB TAIL: Lewd woman. Also an impotent man or a eunuch.

BREAD AND BUTTER FASHION: One upon the other. "John and his maid were caught lying bread and butter fashion."

CAT: Common prostitute.

Drawing of street Prostitutes, London

COLD PIG: Punishment inflicted on "sluggards" who lie too long in bed — pulling off all the bedclothes and throwing cold water on them.

COW-HEARTED: Fearful.

DOCK: Lie with a woman.

DUGS: Woman's breasts.

ELBOW SHAKER: A dice player.


GLAZIER: Someone who breaks windows to steal goods for sale.

GOSPEL SHOP: Church.

HEMPEN WIDOW: One whose husband was hanged.

HOYDON: Romping girl.

INEXPRESSIBLES: Breeches.

JOLLY: The head.

KING'S PICTURES: Coin, money.

LEFT-HANDED WIFE: Concubine. Based on an ancient German custom where, when a man married his concubine, or a woman greatly his inferior, he gave her his left hand.

Not-so-secret-This cartoon is a depiction of the Morganatic marriage between the Prince of Wales and Mrs. Fitzherbert in 1785.

NOISY DOG RACKET: Stealing brass knockers from doors.

OVEN: Great mouth.

PIECE: Wench. A girl who is more or less active and skilful in the amorous congress.

POISONED: Big with child.

QUEER PLUNGERS: Cheats who throw themselves into the water in order that they may be taken up by their accomplices, who carry them to one of the houses appointed by the Humane Society for the recovery of drowned persons, where they are rewarded by the society with a guinea.

RESURRECTION MEN: Persons employed by the students in anatomy to steal dead bodies out of churchyards.

"Grave shields" like the patented design above, and "burial safes" like the one patented below, were expensive.  Grave sites were commonly robbed, for scientific research on body parts.  Families protected their loved ones if they could afford to do so.

Body snatchers were known as "Resurrection Men"

RUM DOXY: Fine wench.

SHOOT THE CAT: Vomit from excess of liquor.

SHY COCK: One who keeps within doors for fear of bailiffs.

SNOOZING KEN: Brothel.

STRIP ME NAKED: Gin.

TIT: Horse or smart little girl.

TWIDDLE-DIDDLES: Testicles.

TWIDDLE POOP: Effeminate-looking fellow.

UNLICKED CUB: Rude, uncouth young fellow.

VAMPER: Stockings.

Stockings were known as "Vampers"

WINDOW PEEPER: Collector of window tax.

XANTIPPE: Socrates's wife, a shrew or scolding wife.

YELLOW BOYS: Guineas.

ZEDLAND: Great part of the West Country where the letter Z is substituted for S.

Valentine's Day Greetings of Yesteryear

Trying to organize my life's belongings, photos and mementos has been tough lately.  It seems like the clock ticks faster every day and I get less done because of that quick ticking.

Recently, I was going through the baby book that my mother had kept from my early years.  I began wondering if I should keep anything to pass on, or simply scan it and put it on a CD for posterity.  I have to admit that sitting down and reading some cards and notes kept in the book, gave me a lot of laughs. Some of my favorites are the congratulatory cards upon my birth and I will share those cards in the next post.

The cards are from an era that seemed to suddenly start to vanish, not more than a dozen or so years after I was born. A time when men started actually helping their wives through delivery of babies, as opposed to standing around a hospital waiting room, passing out cigars.  Humorous for me to look at now, but only  because I did not share my mother's era's experience in delivering children. The cards sent to my parents, were sent in a very different world than in which we live today. 

I was reading my email today, and came upon a slew of vintage Valentine greetings someone had passed along to me.   I remember seeing some similar cards in my baby book.  They are from probably from the 1950s or early 1960s. An era that wouldn't know political correctness if it stumbled upon it in the road.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I did, just try not to laugh too hard when you realize people were thrilled to receive these and others were paid good money to design them in the first place!