A NEW
DICTIONARY
OF THE
Terms Ancient and Modern
OF THE
Canting Crew.
In its several
TRIBES,
OF
Gypsies, Beggers, Thieves, Cheats, &c.
WITH
An Addition of some Proverbs,
Phrases, Figurative Speeches, &c.

Useful for all sorts of People, (especially
Foreigners) to secure their Money and preserve their
Lives; besides very Diverting and Entertaining, be­
ing wholly New.


By B. E. Gent.

London,
Printed for W. Hawes at the Rose in Ludgate-street,
P. Gilbourne at the Corner of Chancery-lane in Fleet-­
street, and W. Davis at the Black Hill in Cornhill.









THE
PREFACE.


Before I present the Reader,
with the following Dictiona­
ry of the Beggers and Gypsies
Cant, I think it not amiss to premise
a few Words concerning the Beg­
gers and Gypsies themselves, by way
of an Historical Account, of the
Antiquity of the one, and the Uni­
versality of the other.
It makes not a little for the Ho­
nour of the Beggers, that their Ori­
ginal according to some Accounts,
is no less Ancient than that of Christi­



anity it self; for in the Opinion of
Charron, as the Slaves went off, the
Beggers came in their Place. So
much at least is granted, That the
Jews who allow'd of Slaves, had no
Beggers. What shall we say, but
that if it be true, that the Emanci­
pating or Freeing of Slaves as in­
deed the making of Beggers; it fol­
lows that Christianity which is dai­
ly employed in Redeeming Slaves
from the Turks, Ransom'd no less
than all at once from Pagan Slavery
at first, at no dearer a Rate, than the
Rent-charge of maintaining the Beg­
gers, as the Price and Purchace of our
Freedoms
As for the Antiquity of the Eng­
lish Beggers, it may be observed, That
the first Statute which makes Provi­
sion for the Parish-Poor, is no older
than Queen Elizabeth; from which
it may be fairly Collected, That



they entred with us upon the Disso­
lution of the Abbeys, as with them
abroad, upon the Delivery of the
Slaves.
For the Gypsies, they and the Foul
Disease have alike the Fate to run
through a Geography of Names, and
to be made free of as many Coun­
tries, as almost there are Languages to
call them Names in for as the French
call the Pox, the Italian Disease, they
again give it to the Spaniards, as these
to the French; so the French call the
Gypsies Boemie, or Bohemians, belike,
because they made their first Appea­
rance in Bohemia of any Part of
Europe; the Italians Name them
Zingari or Saracens, the Spaniards
Itanos as we Egyptians; whether it
be, that the Italians give them the
Turks, as the Spaniards give them
the Moors, as being both the next
Neighbors to each; I take not up­



on me to Determine, only it may
be observed, betwixt the Comple­
ment of either kind, the Odds is no
greater than this, of giving a Nati­
on a Clap, or of laying a brood of
Bastards at it's Door.
Through Holland has no Beggers,
if the Dutch themselves are not the
greatest Beggers in the World; and
Switzerland has no Thieves, if the
Swiss who are altogether Soldiers, are
not the greatest of Thieves. Yet, I
say, neither the States that are with­
out Beggers, nor the Cantons that
are without Thieves, are notwith­
standing either the one or the other,
without Gypsies. So as what they
want of Beggers and Thieves in point
of Antiquity, the Gypsies claim a­
bove both, in point of Universality.
But though Gypsies are found in
all Christian Countries, yet are they
not in all Countries alike; their Na­



ture and Genius being diverse, in pro­
portion to the Countries amongst
whom they Stroul; so that the same
Question remains upon them, as is
started of the Winds, as Universal
Travellers as the Gypsies, that it seems
a Doubt, Whether they partake more
of the Nature of the Countries
whence they rise, or of those through
which they Pass?
Nor is it also new to meet the
Beggers and the Proverbs together,
for the Fashion is as old as Plautus,
who put the Proverbs and the Jests
in the Mouth of his Slaves. And in
the Character of Sancho Pancha, Cer­
vantes has Trod in the same Steps;
in the History of Don Quixot, San­
cho being distinguished no less by his
Proverbs, than his Asse. And be­
tween the Slaves and the Beggers,
the Difference is no greater, than be­
tween Fathers and their Heirs.



if some Terms and Phrases of
better Quality and Fashion, keep so
ill Company, as Tag-Rag and Long­
Tail; you are to remember, that it
is no less than Customary, for Great
Persons a broad to hide themselves
often in Disguise among the Gypsies;
and even the late L. of Rochester a­
mong us, when time was, among o­
ther Frolicks, was not ashamed to
keep the Gypsies Company.



	


A NEW
DICTIONARY.


A B

ABram-cove, c. a Na­
ked or poor Man,
also a lusty strong Rogue.Word-entry not found in OED.

Abram-men, c. the se­
venteenth Order of the
Canting-crew. Beggers
antickly trick'd up with
Ribbands, Red Tape,
Foxtails, Rags, &c. pre­
tending Madness to pal­
liate their Thefts of Poul­
trey, Linnen, &c.


A C

a Song
Academy, c. a Bawdy-­
house, also an University,
or School to learn Gen­
tleman like Exercises.Word-entry not found in OED.

Accoutrements, c. fine
rigging (now) for Men or
Women, (formerly) only
Trappings for Horses.
Well accoutred, c. gen­
tilly dress'd.

Acquests, and Acquisi­
tions, The rights of For­
tune purchased by La­
bour, Arts or Arms,
oppos'd to Hereditary
and Paternal.

Acteon, A Cuckold.Word-entry not found in OED, which cites "actaeon" as a verb only 1615-ca. 1658.

Acteon'd, Cuckolded,
or made a Cuckold of.


A D

Adam's ale, Water.

Adam-tiler, c. a Pick-­
pocket's Camerade, who
receives Stolen Money
or Goods, and scowers
off with them.

Addle-pate, one full of
Whimsies and Projects,
and as empty of Wit



Addle-plot, a Martin-­
mar-all.Not found in OED.

Adrift, loose. I'll turn
ye adrift, a Tar-phrase;
I'll prevent ye doing me
any harm.


A F

Affidavit-men, Knights
of the Post, Mercenary
Swearers for, Hire, Inha­
bitants (formerly) of
White Friars, now dis­
persed.

Aft and abast, to­
wards the Stern, or hin­
der Part of the Ship.


A I

Aim, Endeavour, or De­
sign. To aim, or level at
a Mark, he has mist his
Aim or End.

Air of a Song, the Tune

Air of a Face or Pic­
ture, the Configuration
and consent of Parts in
each.

Airy, Light, brisk, plea­
sant, also a Nest of
Hawks. He is an Airy
Fellow.


A L

Alabaster, mixt by all
the knavish Perfumers
with the Hair-Powder
they sell, to make it
weigh heavy, being of
it self very cheap, that
their Gain may be the
greater, found destruc­
tive to the Hair and
Health.

Alsatia, White Friers.

Alsatia the higher, the
same.

Alsatia the lower, the
Mint in Southwerk.

Alsations, the Inhabi­
tants, such as, broken
Gentlemen, Tradesmen,
&c. Lurking there.

Allay, the Embasing
of a purer and finer Met­
al, by mixing it with an
inferior or coarser Met­
al, as of pale Gold with
a Silver-Allay, or of
deep Gold with an Al­
lay of Copper; also
whatever is used to qua­
lify what is bitter or
nauseous in Compositi­
ons, as gilding of Pills,



sweetning of Boluses, or
Powders.

Aloft, above or over
Head; also anciently an
Upper-room or Garret,
now more us'd in Com­
pounds, as Cock-loft, Hay-­
loft, &c.

Altemall, altogether.Not found in OED. Perhaps this should be "altumal" (1711-53; meaning "the language of petty traders and tars" in 1753).

Altitudes, the Man is
in his Altitudes, he is
Drunk.


A M

Ambidexter, one that
goes snacks in gaming
with both Parties; also
a Lawyer that takes Fees
of Plaintif and Defendant
at once.

Ambient-air, Air a­
broad oppos'd to that
pent and shut up in
Wells, Vaults, Caves, &c.
Or else the outward Air
in the House, oppos'd to
that shut up in the Cavi­
ties of Vessels, Glasses,
Vials, &c.

Ambrol, among the
Tarrs for Admiral.Not found in OED.

Amphibious Creatures, 
of a doubtful kind, or of
a double Element; as a
Bat is between a Bird
and a Beast; and Otter
between a Beast and a
Fish; and a Puffin with
the rest of the Sea-Fowl,
between Fowl and Fish.

Amuse, to throw dust
in one's Eyes, by divert­
ing one from a serious
Thought to a pleasant
one.

Amusement, a Blind or
Disengagement from
deep Thoughts to more
Diverting.


A N

An Ark, c. a Boat or
Wherry.

Anglers, c. Cheats, pet­
ty Thievs, who have
a Stick with a hook at
the end, with which
they pluck things out of
Windows, Grates, &c.
also those that draw in
People to be cheated.

Animal, a Fool. He is
a meer Animal, he is a
very silly Fellow.

Antechambers, forerooms
for receiving of Visits, as
the back and Drawing



Rooms are for Lodgings,
anciently called Dining-­
rooms.

Antidote, a very home­
ly Woman, also a medi­
cine against Poyson.

Antient, at Sea, for
Ensign, or Flag.

Anticks, little Images
on Stone, on the out side
of old Churches. An­
tick postures or dresses, such
as are odd, ridiculous
and singular, the habits
and motions of Fools,
Zanies, or Merry-an­
drews, of Mountebanks,
with Ribbands, mis­
matched colours and
Feathers.

Antiquary, a curious
Critick in old Coins,
Stones and Inscriptions,
in Worm-eaten Records,
and ancient Manuscripts;
also one that affects and
blindly doats, on Relicks,
Ruins, old Customs,
Phrases and Fashions.

Antiquated Rogue, Old,
out of date, that has
forgot or left off his
Trade of Thieving, &c.,
also superannuated, ob­
solete Customs or Words,
such as are worn out,
out of use and Fashion.


A P

Apart, severally, asun­
der.

Apartments, Rooms a­
part, private Lodgings,
inner Chambers, secret
and withdrawn from the
rest. Recesses of the
House opposed to the
Ante chambers.


A R

Arack, an East-Indian
Brandy, or strong Spirit
drawn from Rice, and
(sometimes) Roes of
Fish, best when old,
much us'd in Punch, the
double distill'd Goa most
esteem'd.

Arch-Rogue,  Witty.

Arch-Wag, Pleasant.

Arch-Whore, Cunning.

Arms, to bear Arms,
a Profession not unbe­
coming a Gentleman,
for Books and Arms are
Gentlemens Burdens.



Armour, in his Armour
Pot-valiant.

Aristippus, a Diet-drink,
or Decoction of Sarsa,
China, &c. Sold at cer­
tain Coffee-houses, and
drank as Tea.Sense not found in OED.

Arsworm, a little di­
minutive Fellow.Not found in OED.


A S

Ascendant, Power, In­
fluence, as, he has the As­
cendant over him, or an
Hank upon him; also
the Horoscope, or point
of the Ecliptic that rises
at one's Nativity.

Assign, now us'd for
Assignation, an Appoint­
ment or meeting.Not found in OED.

Assuming, conceited,
as, an Assuming Fellow,
one that abounds in his
own Sense, and impo­
ses it upon every Man
else.

Assurance, Confidence,
as, a Man of Assurance,
one that has a stock of
Confidence.


A U

Aunt, a Bawd, as one
of my Aunts, one of the
same Order.

Autem, c. a Church,
also Married.

Autem mort, c. a Mar­
ried woman, also the
Twenty fourth Order of
the Canting Tribe, Tra­
velling, Begging (and
often Stealing) about the
Country, with one Child
in Arms, another on Back,
and (sometimes) lead­
ing a third in the Hand.
Auxiliary beauty, Dress,
Paint, Patches, setting
of Eye-brows, and lick­
ing the Lipps with red.


B A

Babler, a great Talk­
er.

Backt, dead, as he wishes
the old Man backt, he
longs to have his Father
upon six Mens shoulders,
or as his Back's up, he is
in a fume, or angry.

Bacon, as he sav'd his
Bacon, he has escap'd
with a whole Skin. A
good voice to beg Bacon,



said in jear of an ill
voice.

Badge, a mark of
Distinction among poor
People; as, Porters, Wa­
ter-men, Parish-Pensi­
oners and Hospital-boys,
Blew-coats and Badges
being the ancient Live­
ries.

Badgers, they that buy
up a quantity of Corn
and hoard it up in the
same Market, till the
prize rises; or carry it to
another, where it also bears
a better. Also a Beast for
sport, Badger Eartheth,
Lodgeth.

Badjob, an ill bout,
bargain, or business.Not found in OED.

Baffle, to worst, or de­
feat. A baffled Cause,
worsted, defeated.

Baggage, a Whore or
Slut.

Bagonet or Bionet, a
Dagger.

Bail-dock, the place in
the Court, where the
Prisoners are kept till
called to be Arraign'd.

Balsom, c. Money.Sense not found in OED entry.

Balderdash, ill, unplea­
sant, unwholesom mix­
tures of Wine, Ale, &c.

Banbury-story, of a Cock
and a Bull, silly chat.

Banditti, Highway­
men, (Horse or Foot)
Rogues of any kind, now,
but strictly Italian Out­
laws.

Bandog, a Bailiff, or
his Follower, a Serge­
ant, or his Yeoman; al­
so a very fierce Mastive.

Bandore, a Widows
mourning Peak; also a
Musical Instrument.Antedates first occurrence of second sense in OED (a1712).

Bandy, a play at Ball
with a Bat; also to fol­
low a Faction.

Bandy-legg'd, crooked.

Bang, a blow; to Bang,
to beat.

Banillas, a Seed grow­
ing in a Cog, somewhat
resembling a Kidney-­
bean, on Trees in the In­
dies, much us'd in Cho­
colate.Not found in OED.

Banter, a pleasant way
of prating, which seems
in earnest, but is in jest,
a sort of ridicule, What
do you banter me? i.e. do
you pretend to impose



upon me, or to expose
me to the Company,
and I do not know your
meaning.

Bantling, a Child.

Barker, a Salesman's
Servant that walks be­
fore the Shop, and cries,
Cloaks, Coats, or Gowns,
what d'ye lack, Sir?

Barketh, the Noise a
Fox makes at Rutting
time.

Barnacle, c. a good
job, or a snack easily
got, also Fish growing
on Ships sides when foul
and a Brake for unruly
Horses Noses, also the
Gratuity to Jockeys,
for selling or buying Horses.

Barnadcles, c. the Irons
Fellons wear in Gaol.

Bar-wig, between a
bob and a long one.See OED "wig," n. 3.

Basset, a Game at
Cards.

Baste, to beat, as, I'll
baste your sides Sirrah, I'll
bang you lustily.

Bastonado-ing, a Cud­
gelling.Not found in OED.

Batten, c. to Patten.

Battner, c. an Ox.Not found in OED.

Batter, the Ingredi­
ents for a Pudding or
Pan-cake, when they are
all mixt and stirred to­
gether.

Battery, beating, assault,
also, striking with the
Edge and feble of one's
Sword, upon the edge
and feble of his Adver­
saries.

Batter'd bully, an old
well cudgell'd and bruis'd
huffing Fellow.

Baubee, a half-penny.

Baubels, c. Jewels, al­
so trifles and Childrens
Play-things.

Bawdy-baskets, c. the
Twenty third Rank of
Canters, with Pins,
Tape, Obscene Books,
&c. to sell, but live more
by Stealing.

Bawdy-batchelors, that
live long Unmarried.Not found in OED.

Bawdy-house-bottle, a
very small one.Not found in OED.

Bay-windows, embow­
ed, as of old, standing
out from the rest of the
Building. Stand at bay,
as Deer will, when close­
ly pursued, or being



hard run, turn Head a­
gainst the Hounds.


B E

Beach, the Sea-shore
or Strand.

Bear-garden discourse, 
common, filthy, nasty
Talk. If it had been a
Bear it would have bit
you, of him that makes a
close search after what
just lies under his Nose.
As good take a Bear by the
Tooth, of a bold desperate
Undertaking. Go like
the Bear to the Stake, or
hang an Arse. As many
tricks as a dancing Bear
or more than are good.

Beard-splitter, an enjoy­
er of Women.

Beateth, the noise a
Hare makes at Rutting
time.

Beating, striking the
Feble of the Adversary's
Sword, with the Fort and
edge of one's own.

Beau, a silly Fellow
that follows the Fashions
nicely, Powdering his
Neck, Shoulders, &c.

Beautrap, a Sharper.Not found in OED.

Beck, c. a Beedle.

Beetle-head, a heavy
dull Block-head.

Beldam, a scolding old
Woman.

Belle, a nice, gay,
fluttering foolish Woman
that follows every Fash­
ion, also fair.

Belloweth, see Roe.

Belly-cheat, c. an A­
pron.

Belsh, all Mault drinks.Not found in OED.

Beweather, chief or
Leader of the Flock,
Master of misrule, also
a clamorous noisy Man.

Bene, c. good.

Bene-cove, c. a good
Fellow.Not found in OED.

Beneship, c. very good,
also Worship.

Bene-bowse, c. strong
Liquor, or very good
Drink.See OED, "bein," a. and adv.

Bene-darkmans, c. good
night

Benfeakers of Gybes, c.
Counterfeiters of Passes.Not found in OED.

Benefit of Clergy, see
Neck-verse.

Ben, a Fool.Sense mot found in OED.

Bennish, Foolish.Not found in OED.



Beside himself, distract­
ed; beside the Cushion, a
mistake; beside the Lighter,
in a bad condition.

Besom, a Broom.

Bestrid, Mounted or
got up astride.

Bess, c. bring bess and
glym, c. forget not the
Instrument to break o­
pen the door and the
Dark-lanthorn.Not found in OED.

Betty, c. a small Engin
to force open the Doors
of Houses; also, a quar­
ter Flask of Wine.Antedates OED first citation (1700).

Bever, an afternoon's
Lunchion.

Beveridge, a Garnish-­
money, for any thing;
also Wine and Water.

Bevy, a company of
Roes, Quails, &c. Bevy
Grease,. Roes fat.

Bewildred, at a stand
or nonplus in Business,
not knowing what to
do, also lost in a Wood.


B I

Biddy, a Chicken, also
Bridget.

Big, choice Barley-ma­
king, the best Mault.

Biggin, a Woman's
Coif.

Biggot, an obstinate
blind Zealot.

Biggotry, an obstinate
blind Zeal.

Bil-boa, c. a Sword.

Bite the Bil from the Cull, 
c. whip the Sword from
the Gentleman's side.

Bilk, c. to cheat. Bilk
the Ratling-cove, c. to
sharp the Coach-man of
his hire.

Bilk'd, c. defeated,
disappointed.

Billeting, Foxes Excre­
ment. Billeting of Soldi­
ers, Quartering them.

Billet-doux, a Love-­
letter.

Bill of Sale, a Bandore,
or Widow's Peak.

Billingsgate dialect, 
Scolding, ill Language,
foul Words.

Binding, securing the
Adversary's Sword with
Eight or ten Inches of
one's one, upon Five or
six of his.Read "one's own"?

Bing, c. to go, &c.

Bing awast, c. get you
hence. Bing'd awast in



a Darkmans, c. stole a­
way in the Night-time.
Bing we to Rume vile. c
go we to London.

Bingo, c. Brandy.

Bingo-boy, c. a great
Drinker or Lover there­
of.

Bingo-club, c. a set of
Rakes, Lovers of that
Liquor.

Birds of a Feather, c.
Rogues of the same
gang; also, those of the
same Profession, Trade
or Employment. To kill
two Brids with one Stone,
to dispatch two Busines­
ses at one Stroke.

Bird-witted, Wild-­
headed, not Solid or Stay­
ed, opposed to a Sober-­
Wit.

Bit, c. Robb'd, Cheat­
ed or Outwitted. Also
Drunk, as, he has bit his
Grannam; he is very
Drunk. Bit the blow, c.
accomplish'd the Theft,
plaied the Cheat, or done
the Feat: You have Bit a
great Blow, c. you have
Robb'd some body of a
great deal, or to a con­
siderable value.

Bite, c. a Rogue, Shar­
per or Cheat; also a
Womans Privites.Antedates earliest citation of OED sense (1742).
The second sense is not in the OED.

Bite the Biter, c. to
Rob the Rogue, Sharp
the Sharper, or Cheat
the Cheater.

Bite the Cully, c. to
put the cheat on the sil­
ly Fellow.

Bite the Roger, c. to
Steal the Portmanteau.

Bite the Wiper, c. to Steal
the Hand-kerchief. The
Cull wapt the Morts bite.
c. the Fellow enjoyed
the Whore briskly. He
will not bite, or swallow
the Bait. He won't be
drawn in, to bite on the
bit; to be pinched, or
reduced to hard Meat,
a scanty or sorry sort of
Living.

Bitter-cold, very Cold.


B L

Black and white, un­
der one's Hand, or in
Writing.

Blab, a Sieve of Se­
crets, a very prating Fel­
low that tells all he
knows.



Black-box, a Lawyer.

Black-coat, a Parson.

Black-guard, Dirty,
Nasty, Tatter'd roguish
Boys, that attend (at
the Horseguards) to
whip Shoes, clean Boots,
water Horses, or run of
Errands.

Blackjack, a Leather-­
Jug to drink in.

Black-Indies, Newca­
stle, from whence the
Coals are brought.

Blackmuns, c. Hoods
and Scarves of Alamode
and Lustrings.Not found in OED.

Black-mouth, foul, ma­
licious, Railing, or Re­
flecting.

Blacken, to blast or a­
sperse.

Black-spy, c. the Devil.

Blank, baffled, down-­
look't, sheepish, guilty.

Bleak, sharp, piercing
Weather.

Bleach, to whiten.

Bleaters, c. they that
are cheated by Jack-in-­
a box.

Bleating-cheat, c. a Sheep.

Bleed freely, c. part
with their Money easily.

Blemish, when Hounds
or Beagles find where
the Chace has been, and
make a proffer to enter,
but return.

Blew-John, Wash, or
Afterwort.Not found in OED.

Blind cheeks, the Breech.
Kiss my Blind-cheeks, Kiss
my Ar---

Blind excuse, a sorry
shift. A Blind Ale-house,
or Blind Lane, obscure, of
no Sign, Token, or Mark.

Blind harpers, c. Beg­
gers counterfeiting blind­
ness, with Harps or Fid­
dles.

Blind-man's-buff, a play
us'd by Children blind­
folded. Bluffed, contract­
ed from Blind-man's-buff,
he that is Blinded in the
Play.

Blind-man's-holiday, 
when it is too dark to
see to Work.

Blind side, every Man's
weak Part.

Bloated, Smoked Her­
rings; also, one puffed or
swelled with false Fat,
and has not a Healthy
Complexion.



Blobber-lipp'd, very
thick, hanging down, or
turning over.

Block, a silly Fellow.

Block-houses, c. Prisons,
also Forts upon Rivers.

Blockish, Stupid.

Blockstock, see Block

Bloss, c. a Thief or
Shop-lift, also, a Bullies
pretended Wife or Mis­
tress, whom he guards,
and who by her Tra­
de supports him, also a
Whore.Not found in OED.

Blot the Skrip and jark
it, c. to stand Engaged,
or be Bound for any
body.

Blot in the Tables, what
is fair to be hit.

Blot in a Scutcheon, a
blemish or imputation
upon any one.

Bloud, 'twill breed ill
Bloud, of what will pro­
duce a misunderstanding
or Difference.

Blower, c. a Mistress, al­
so a Whore.

Blowing, c. the same.

Blow-off-on the groun­
sills, c. to lie with a Wo­
man on the Floor or
Stairs.

Blown upon, seen by
several, or slighted; not
blown upon, a secret piece
of News or Poetry, that
has not taken air, spick
and span-new. To blow
Hot and Cold with a
Breath, or play fast and
loose.

Blow off the loose corns, 
c. to Lie now and then
with a Woman. It is
blow'd, c. it is made pub­
lick, and all have notice.Not found in OED.

Blubber, Whale-oyl,
(imperfect.)

Blubbering, much Cry­
ing.

Bluffer, c. a Host, Inn-­
keeper or Victualler; to
look bluff, to look big, or
like Bull-beef.

Blunder, an Ignorant
Mistake.

Blunderbuss, a Dunce;
an unganely Fellow, also
a short Gun carrying
Twenty Pistol-Bullets at
one Charge.

Bluster, to huff, a blus­
tering Fellow, a rude rat­
ling Fellow.

Boar, see wild Boar.




B O

Boarding school, c. Bride­
well.

Boarding-scholars, c.
Bridewell-birds.

Bob, c. a Shop-lift's
camrade, assistant, or re­
ceiver; also a very short
Periwig, and for Robert.
It's all bob, c. all is safe,
the Bet is secured.

Bob'd, c. Cheated,
Trick'd, Disappointed,
or Baulk'd.Sense not found in OED but see "bobbed, ppl. a."

Bob-tail, a light Wo­
man, also a short Ar­
row-head.Sense not found in OED.

Bode ill, to presage or
betoken ill. Also in Hol­
land, a Bode is a Messin­
ger, attending the Burgo-­
Masters, and executing
their Orders.

Bodle, Six make a Pen­
ney, Scotch Coin.

Boer, a Country-Fel­
low or Clown.

Boerish, Rude, Unman­
nerly, Clownish.

Boggs, Irish Fastnes­
ses or Marshes.

Bog-houses, Privies.

Bog-landers, Irish Men.

Bog-trotters, Scotch or
North Country Moss-­
troopers or High-way
Men formerly, and now
Irish Men.

Boisterous Fellow or,
Sea, Blustering, Rude,
Rough.

Boldface, Impudent.
A Bold Harbour, where
Ships may Ride at An­
chor with safety, a bold
Shore where Ships may
Sail securely.

Bolter of White Friers, c.
one that Peeps out, but
dares not venture a­
broad, as a Coney bolts
out of the Hole in a
Warren, and starts back
again.

Bolting, the leaping by
one's Adversary's Left-­
side quite out of all mea­
sure.

Boltsprit, a Nose. He
has broke his Boltsprit, he
has lost his Nose with
the Pox.

Bombast-poetry, in
Words of lofty Sound
and humble Sense.

Bone, c. to Apprehend,



Seize, Take or Arrest.
I'll Bone ye, c. I'll cause you
to be Arrested. We shall
be Bon'd, c. we shall be Ap­
prehended for the Rob­
bery. The Cove is Bon'd
and gon to the Whit, c. the
Rogue is taken up and
carried to Newgate, or
any other Gaol. The
Cull has Bon'd the Fen,
(for Fence) or Bloss
that bit the Blow, c. the
Man has Taken the
Thief that Robb'd his
House, Shop, or Pickt
his Pocket. He has bit
his Blow, but if he be
Bon'd, he must shove the
Tumbler, c. he has Stole the
Goods, or done the Feat,
but if he be Taken, he'll
be Whipt at the Cart-­
tail. I have Bon'd her
Dudds, Fagg'd, and Brush'd,
c. I have took away my
Mistress Cloathes, Beat
her, and am troop'd off.
Boning the Fence, c. find­
ing the Goods where
Conceal'd, and Seizing,
he made no bones of it, he
swallow'd it without
Drinking after it.

Bonny-clapper, sower
Butter-milk.

Booby, a dull heavy
Lob.

Booberkin, the same.

Boon, a Gift, Reward,
or Gratification.

Boon-companion, a mer­
ry Drinking Fellow.

Boot, a Scotch Torture,
or Rack, for the Leg, is
to draw to Confession.
What Boots it? What
Avails it?

Booty-play, False, Cheat­
ing; also Plunder, he
Bowls Booty, when great
Odds are laid, and he
goes Halves, his Cast is
designed by Bad.

Boracho, a But, a Drun­
kard, and a Hogskin.

Borde, c. a Shilling,
half a Borde, c. Sixpence.

Bordel-lo, a Bawdy-­
House.

Boreson or Bauson, a
Badger.

Bottle-head, void of
Wit.

Bottom, a Man of no
Bottom, of no Basis of
Principles, or no settle­
ment of Fortune, or of



no Ground in his Art.
Let every Tub stand on
its own Bottom, or every
one look to his own foot­
ing. A Tale of a Tub with
the Bottom out, a sleeveless
frivolous Tale.

Boughs, he is up in the
Boughs, or a top of the
House, of one upon the
Rant, or in a great Fer­
ment.

Bounce, to boast and
vapour. A meer Bounce,
a Swaggering Fellow.

Bouncer, c. a Bully.

Bout, a Tryal, Act,
Essay.

Bowse, c. Drink, or to
Drink, see Benbowse and
Rumbowse.

Bowsy, c. Drunk. We
Bows'd it about, we Drank
damn'd hard.

Bowsingken, c. an Ale­
house. The Cul tipt us
a Hog, which we melted in
Rumbowse, c. the Gen­
tleman gave us a Shilling,
which we spent in
Strong Drink.

Box, to Fight with the
Fists. Box it about Boys,
Drink briskly round.
In a wrong Box, of one
that has taken wrong
measures, or made false
steps. A Pretty Box, a
Compleat little House,
also a small drinking
place.


B R

Bracket-face , Ugly,
Homely, Illfavor'd.Not found in OED.

Bragget, Meed, and
Ale sweetned with
Honey.

Brag, Braggadoeio, A
vapouring, Swaggering,
Bullying Fellow.

Brat, a little Child.

Branchers, Canary-­
Birds of the first Year.

Bravado, a Vapour­
ing, or Bouncing.

Bravo, a Mercenary
Murderer, that will Kill
any Body.

Brawl  , Squabble, or
Quarrel. To Brangle, and
Brawl, to Squabble and
Scold.

Brazen-fac'd, Bold,
Impudent, Audacious.

Bread and Cheese Bow­
ling-green, a very ord'na­
ry one, where they play



for Drink and Tobacco.
all wet, as 'tis called.

Bread and Cheese Con­
stables, that treats their
Neighbors and Friends
at their coming into
Office with such mean
Food only.

Breaking shins, c. bor­
rowing of Money.

Breast, in the breast of
the Judge, what he keeps
in Reserve, or Suspence.

Briers, in the Briers,
in trouble.

Brook, he cannot brook
it, bear or endure it.

Brickle, Brittle, apt to
Break.

Bristol-milk, Sherry.
Bristol stone, Sham-Di­
amonds.

Broach'd, Opinion or

Doctrine, Published,
Divulged.

Brimming, a Boor's co­
pulating with a Sow;
also now us'd for a
Man's with ----

Brim, or Brimstone, a
very Impudent, Lew'd
Woman.

Brock, see Hart.

Brock's Sister, see Hind.

Broke, Officers turn'd
out of Commission. Tra­
ders Absconding, Quit­
ting their Business and
Paying no Debts.

Bromigham, - conscience,	
very bad, Bromigham­
prostestants, Dissenters or
Whiggs. Bromigham wine,
Balderdash, Sophisticate
Taplash.

Brother-starling, that
Lies with the same Wo­
man, or Builds in the
same Nest.

Brother of the
Blade, a Sword-­
Man or Sol­
dier.
Gussit, a Pimp,
Procurer, al­
so, a Whore-­
Master.
Quill, of the
Scribbling
Tribe. 
String, a Fidler,
or Musician. 

Brothel-house,  a Bawdy
House.

Brow-beat, to Cow, to
Daunt, to awe with Big
Looks, or Snub.



Brown-study, a Deep
Thought or Speculation.

Brush, c. to Fly or
Run away. The Cully is
Brusht or Rub'd, c. the
Fellow is march'd off, or
Broke. Bought a Brush, c.
Run away. Also a small
Faggot, to light the o­
ther at Taverns, and
a Fox's Tail.

Brusher, c. an exceed­
ing full Glass.


B U

Bub  c. Drink. Rum-­
bub, c. very good Tip.

Bub, or Bubble, c.
one that is Cheated;
also an Easy, Soft Fel­
low.

Bubber, c. a drinking
Bowl; also a great Drin­
ker, and he that used
to Steal Plate from Pub­
lick-houses.

Bube, c. the Pox. The
Mort has tipt the Bube up­
on the Cully, c. the Wench
has Clapt the Fellow.

Buckaneers, West-In­
dian Pirates, of several
Nations; also the Rude
Rabble in Jamaica.

Buckle, to Bend or
give Way. He'll buckle to
no Man, he won't Yield
or Stoop to any Man.

Buck, Great Buck, the
Sixth Year. Buck of the
first Head, the Fifth
Year, a Sore, the Fourth
Year, a Sorel, the Third
Year, a Pricket, the Se­
cond Year, a Fawn, the
First Year. A Buck Lodg­
eth. Rouze the Buck, Dis­
lodge him. A Buck
Growneth or Troateth,
makes a Noise at Rutting
time.

Buck-fitches, c. old Lea­
cherous, Nasty, Stinking
Fellows; also He Pole-­
cats, and their Fur.

Buck's face, a Cuck­
old.

Buck, Copulation of
Conies.

Bucksom, Wanton,
Merry.

Budge, c. one that slips
into an House in the
Dark, and taketh Cloaks,
Coats, or what comes
next to Hand, march­
ing off with them; also
Lambs-fur and to stir,



or move. Standing Budge,
c. the Thieves Scout or
Perdu.

Bufe, c. a Dog.

Buffcoat, a Soldier,
or Redcoat.

Buffer, c. a Rogue that
kills good sound Horses,
only for their Skins, by
running a long Wyre in­
to them, and sometimes
knocking them on the
Head, for the quicker
Dispatch.

Buffenapper, c. a Dog-­
stealer, that Trades in
Setters, Hounds, Spaniels,
Lap, and all sorts of
Dogs, Selling them at
a round Rate, and him­
self or Partner Stealing
them away the first op­
portunity.

Buffers-nab, c. a Dog's
Head, used in a Counter­
feit Seal to a false Pass.

Buffle-head, a Foolish
Fellow.

Buffoon, a Great Man's
Jester or Fool.

Buffoonery, Jesting or
playing the Fool's Part.
To stand Buff, to stand
Tightly or Resolutel to
any thing.

Bugher, c. a Dog.

Bugging, c. taking
Money by Bailiffs and
Serjeants of the Defen­
dant not to Arrest him.

Busy-bodies, Pryers
into other Folks Con­
cerns, such as thrust
their Sickle in another's
Harvest; and will have
an Oar in every Boat.
As busy as a Hen with one
Chick, of one that has
a great deal of business
and nothing to do.

Bulchim, a Chubbingly
Boy or Lad.

Bull's-Eye, c. a Crown
or Five shilling Piece.

Bull-head, see Miller's
Thumb.

Bull, an absurd con­
tradiction or incon­
gruity; also false Hair
worn (formerly much)
by Women. A Town-bull,
a Whore-master. To look
like Bull-beef, to look
Big and Grim.

Bulk and File, c. one
jostles while the other
Picks the Pocket.See OED "bulk," n. 2.



Bulker, c. one that
lodges all Night on Shop-­
windows and Bulkheads.

Bulky, strong like
common Oyl, also of
large bulk or size.

Bullet-headed, a dull
silly Fellow.

Bully, c. a supposed
Husband to a Bawd, or
Whore; also a huffing
Fellow.

Bully huff, c. a poor
sorry Rogue that haunts
Bawdy-houses, and pre­
tends to get Money out
of Gentlemen and o­
thers, Ratling and Swear­
ing the Whore is his
Wife, calling to his as­
sistance a parcel of Hec­
tors.

Bully-fop, c. a Mag­
got-pated, huffing, silly
ratling Fellow.

Bully-rock, c. a Hector,
or Bravo.

Bully-ruffins, c. High­
way-men, or Padders.

Bully-trap, c. or Trapan,
c. a Sharper, or Cheat.

Bum, a Bailiff, or Ser­
jeant; also one's Breech.

Bumbast, see Bombast.

Bumbaste, to Beat
much, or hard, on the
Breech.

Bumble, Cloaths setting
in a heap, or ruck.

Bumfodder, what serves
to wipe the Tail.

Bumpkin, a Country
Fellow or Clown.

Bumper, a full Glass.

Bundletail, a short
Fat or squat Lass.Not found in OED.

Bungler, an unper­
forming Husband, or
Mechanic.

Bung, c. a Purse, Pock­
et, or Fob.

Bung-nipper, c. a Cut-­
purse, or Pickpocket.
Claying the Bung, c. cut­
ting the Purse, or Pick­
ing the Pocket.

Bunting-time, when
the Grass is high enough
to hide the young Men
and Maids.

Buntlings, c. Petty­
coats. Hale up the Main-­
buntlings, c. take up the
Woman's Pettycoats.

Bunny, a Rabbit.

Bur, a Cloud, or
dark Circle about the
Moon, boding Wind



and Rain; also the part
next to the Deer's Head.

Burlesque, Raillery in
Verse, or Verse in Ridi­
cule.

Burnish, to spread, or
grow broad; also to
refresh Plate, being the
Trade of a

Burnisher, depending
on Gold and Silver-­
Smiths.

Burnt, Poxt, or swing­
ingly Clapt.

Burnt the Town, when
the Soldiers leave the
Place without paying
their Quarters.

Burre, a Hanger on,
or Dependant.

Bustle, a Fray, Stir,
Tumult in the Streets;
also a Noise in any
Place. What a Bustle
you make? What a
Hurry or Rattle you
Cause? Bustle about, to
be very Stirring, or be­
stir one's Stumps.

Butcher'd, Barbarous­
ly Murder'd on the
Ground, or Kill'd before
his Sword is out; also in
Cold Bloud.

Butter, c. to double or
treble the Bet or Wager
to recover all Losses. No
Butter will stick on his
Bread, nothing thrives
or goes forward in his
Hand. He knows on
which side his Bread is
Butter'd, or the Stronger
side, and his own Inte­
rest.

Butter-boxes, Dutch-­
men.

Butter'd Bun, Lying
with a Woman that has
been just Layn with by
another Man.

Buttock, c. a Whore.

Buttock-broker, a Bawd,
also a Match-maker. A
Buttock and File, c. both
Whore and Pickpock­
et.

Buttock and Twang, or
a downright Buttock and
sham File, c. a Common
Whore but no Pickpock­
et.

Buzzard, c. a foolish
soft Fellow, easily drawn
in and Cullied or Trickt.


B Y

By-blow, a Bastard.




C A

Cabal, a secret Junto
of Princes, a seated
knot of Statesmen, or
of Conspirators against
the State in Counter-­
Cabal.

Cabbage, a Taylor,
and what they pinch
from the Cloaths they
make up; also that part
of the Deer's Head where
the Horns are Planted.

Cabob, a Loin of Mut­
ton Roasted with an
Onyon betwixt each
joint; a Turkish and Per­
sian Dish but now used
in England.

Cacafuego, a Shite-fire;
also a furious fierce Fel­
low

Cackle, c. to discover.
The Cull Cackles, c. the
Rogue tells all.

Cackling-cheats, c.
Chickens, Cocks or
Hens.

Cackling-farts, c. Eggs.

Cadet, or Cadee, a
Gentleman that Bears
Arms in hopes of a
Commission; also a
younger Brother.

Caffan, c. Cheese.Not found in OED.

Cake his Cake is Dough,	
of a Miscarriage or
failure of Business. The
Devil ow'd her a Cake,
and has pai'd her a Loaf,
when instead of a small,
a very great Disaster, or
Misfortune has happen'd
to a Woman.

Call, a Lesson, Blow­
ed on the Horn to com­
fort the Hounds.

Caliver, a small Sea-­
Gun.

Calle, c. a Cloak or
Gown.

Cambridge-Fortune, a
Woman without any
Substance.

Cameleon-Diet, Air,
or a very thin slender
Diet.

Cameronians, Field-­
Conventiclers, (in Scot­
land) great outward
Zealots, and very squee­
mish Precisians.

Camesa, c. a Shirt or
Shift.

Campaign-Coat, Ori­
ginally only such as



Soldiers wore, but after­
wards a Mode in Cities.
See Surtout.

Canary-Bird, a little Arch
or Knavish, a very Wag.

Cane upon Abel, a
good Stick or Cudgel
well-favoredly laid on
a Man's Shoulders.

Canal, a Channel,
Kennel, Pipe, Passage,
fine Pond, or small Ri­
ver.

Cannal, choice Coals,
very Fat or Pitchy that
Blaze and Burn plea­
santly.

Canibal, a cruel rigid
Fellow in dealing; also
Men-Eaters.

Cank, c. Dumb. The
Cull's Cank, c. the Rogue's
Dumb.

Cannikin, c. the Plague,
also (among the Dutch)
a little Kan with a Spout
to pour out the Wine or
Beer, making it Froth.
As great as Cup and Cann;
or as great as two Inkle-­
makers.

Cant, c. to speak, also
(Cheshire) to grow
Strong and Lusty; also
to Kick or throw any
thing away.

Canterbury, a sort of a
short or Hand-gallop;
from the Road leading
to that famous City (of
Kent) on which they
Ride (for the most part)
after that manner.

Canting, c. the Cy­
pher or Mysterious Lan­
guage, or Rogues, Gyp­
sies, Beggers, Thieves,
&c.

Canting-crew, c. Beg­
gers, Gypsies; also Dis­
senters in Conventicles,
who affect a disguised
Speech, and disguised
Modes of Speaking, and
distinguish themselves
from others by a pecu­
liar Snuffle and Tone,
as the Shibboleths of their
Party; as Gypsies and
Beggers have their pecu­
liar Jargon; and are
known no less by their
several Tones in Pray­
ing, than Beggers are
by their whining Note
in Begging.

Cap, c. to Swear. I'll
Cap downright, c. I'll



Swear home. Or (in a­
nother Sense) he may
fling up his Cap after it,
when a thing or business
is past Hope.

Capitation-Drugget, a
Cheap, Slight Stuff,
called so from the Tax
of that Name.

Capricious, Whimsical,
Fantastic, Freakish.

Captain-Hackum, c. a
Fighting, Blustring Bul­
ly.

Captain-Queere-nabs, c.
a Fellow in poor Cloths,
or Shabby.

Captain-sharp, c. a great
Cheat; also a Huffing,
yet Sneaking, Coward­
ly Bully, and a noted E­
nglish Buckaneer.

Captain-Tom, a Leader
of, and the Mob.

Captious, Touchy, Snuf­
fy, apt to take Excepti­
on.

Caravan, c. a good
round sum of Money
about a Man, and him
that is Cheated of it;
also a great Convoy of
Arabian, Grecian, Persian,
Turkish, and other Mer­
chants, Travelling with
Camels from Place to
Place; also a sort of
Wagon.

Carbuncle-Face, very
Red and full of large
Pimples.

Card-Wool, to cleanse
and prepare it for Spin­
ning: Also a Game;
a sure Card, a trusty
Tool, or Confiding Man;
a cooling Card, cold com­
fort, no hope; a Lead­
ing Card, an Example or
Precedent.

Cargo, c. a good round
Sum of Money about a
Man; also the Lading
of a Ship.

Carouse, to Drink hard,
or Quaff heartily.

Carpet-road, Level and
very good.

Carriers, Pigeons that
will with safety, and
almost incredible Swift­
ness convey Letters from
one Place to another,
much used at Smyrne and
Aleppo; also Milk-wo­
mens Hirelings, or Ser­
vants, that carry the



Pail Morning and Even­
ing.

Carrots, Red hair'd
People, from the Colour
of the well known Root
of that Name, whence
came

Carrot-pated, used in
derision.

Carted-Whore, Whipt
publickly, and packt out
of Town. The Cart be­
fore the Horse, of a
thing preposterous, and
out of Place.

Cash, c. Cheese.

Case, c. a House, Shop,
or Ware-house; also a
Bawdy-house. Toute the
Case, c. to view, mark,
or eye the House or
Shop. There's a peery,
'tis snitcht, c. there are
a great many People,
there's no good to be
done. 'Tis all Bob, and
then to dub the gigg, c.
now the coast is clear,
there's good Booty, let's
fall on, and Rob the
House. A Case fro, c.
a Whore that Plies in
a Bawdy-house.

Caster, c. a Cloak.

Cast, to Bowl. A bad
cast, an ill laid Bowl,
or at a great distance from
the Jack. He is Cast for
Felon and Dose, c. found
guilty of Felony and
Burglary.

Cat, a common Whore
or Prostitute.

Catch-fart, a Foot-­
Boy.

Catching-harvest, when
the Weather is Showery
and Unsettled.

Catch-pole, a Serjeant,
or Bayliff that Arrests
People.

Cat-in-pan, turn'd, of
one that has chang'd
Sides or Parties. Who
shall hang the Bell about
the Cat's Neck, said of a
desperate Undertaking.

Catchup, a high East-­
India sauce.

Caterwauling, Men and
Women desirous of Co­
pulation, a Term bor­
rowed from Cats.

Cathedral, old-fashi­
oned, out of Date, An­
cient; also a chief
Church in a Bishop's
See.



Catharpin fashion, when
People in Company
Drink cross, and not
round about from the
Right to the Left, or
according to the Sun's
motion; also small Ropes
to keep the Shrouds,
taut or tight, and the
Mast from Rolling.See OED "Harpings", n. pl.

Catting, drawing a
Fellow through a Pond
with a Cat.

Catstick, used by Boies
at Trap-ball.

Cattle, Whores. Sad
Cattle, Impudent Lewd
Women.

Catmatch, c. when a
Rook is Engag'd a­
mongst bad Bowlers.

Cavalcade, a publick
Show on Horseback.

Cavaulting School, c.
a Bawdy-house.See OED "cavort," v.

Caudge-paw'd, Left
Handed.

Caveating, or Disen­
gaging, slipping the Ad­
versary's Sword, when
'tis going to bind or se­
cure one's own.

Caw-handed, awkward,
not dextrous, ready or
nimble.


C H

Changeable-ribbon, or
Silks, of diverse Colours,
resembling those of
Doves-necks, or of the
Opal Stone.

Chafe, in a great Chafe,  
a great heat or pet.
To Chafe, to fret or fume.
Chafing, fretting or fum­
ing, Chafing and fretting,
being the same with
fretting and fuming,
hence a

Chafing-dish, that carries
Fire.

Chaft, c. well beaten
or bang'd; also much
rub'd or bath'd.

Chagrin, moody, out
of humour, pensive, me­
lancholy, much troub­
led.

Chalk, used in Pow­
der by the Perfumers to
mix with their Grounds;
and also scented Hair-­
Powders, being cheap
and weighing heavy;
found to Burn and de­



stroy Wiggs and all
Hair in general.

Chanticlere, a Cock.

Chape, the Tip at the
End of a Fox's Tail;
also the Cap at the End
of the Scabbard of a
Sword.

Character, a distin­
guishing Sign or Mark
of Distinction, the same
amongst Great Men or
Ministers, that a Badge
is among Low and little
People. As a Man of Cha­
racter, of Mark or Note,
as Privy-Chancellors,
Judges, Foreign Minis­
ters, Ministers of State,
&c.

Chare-women, Under-­
drudges, or Taskers, as­
sistants to Servantmaids.

Char, a Task or
Work. A good Char well
Char'd, a Work well
over.

Chates, c. the Gal­
lows.

Chat, Talk, Prate.

Chatter, to Talk fast
or jabber.

Chattering Fellow, a
noisy prating Man.

Chatts, c. Lice. Squeeze
the Chatts, c. to Crack
or Kill those Vermin.

Cheap, Contemptible.
How Cheap you make your­
self, how Contemptible
you render your self or
undervalue your self.

Chear, good or bad,
high or ordinary fare.
How Chear you? How
fare you? Chear up, be of
good courage, hence
chearful, or chearly, for
one in Heart, or that
keeps up his Spirits; pre­
tty chearly, indifferent
hearty or lightsom.

Cheats, Sharpers, which
see; also Wristbands or
sham Sleeves worn (in
good Husbandry) for
true, or whole ones.

Chicken, a feeble, little
creature, of mean Spi­
rit; whence, a Chicken-­
hearted Fellow, or Hen-­
hearted Fellow, a Das­
tard.

Childish, Foolish.

Childing-woman, Breed­
ing.

China-Ale, From the
well known East-Indian



Drug of that Name, of
which they ought to put
some, but they seldom
do any into it, making it
sweet only and adding a
little Spice.

Chink, c. Money, be­
cause it chinks in the
Pocket.

Chip, a Child.

Chip of the old Block, a
Son that is his Father's
likeness; more particu­
larly the Son of a Coo­
per, or one brought up
to the same Trade.

Chirping-merry, very
pleasant over a Glass of
good Liquor.

Chit a Dandyprat, or
Dergen.

Chittiface, a little pui­
ny Child.

Chitchat, idle Prate,
or empty TalkAntedates earliest OED citation (1710).

Chive, c. a Knife.

Chop, to change, or
barter.

Chopping-boy, a bounc­
ing Boy; to chop up Pray­
ers, to huddle them up,
or slubber then over in
posthast. A Chop by chance,
a rare Contingence, an
extraordinary or uncom­
mon Event, out of
course.

Chopps, (of a Man)
his Face; (of Mutton)
a Bone or Cut.

Chounter, to talk pert­
ly, and (sometimes) an­
grily.

Chouse, to cheat or
trick.

Chop-houses, where Both
boyl'd and roast Mutton
(in chopps) are alwayes
ready.

Chub, c. he is a young
chub, or a meer chub, c. ve­
ry ignorant or inex­
perienced in gaming, not
at all acquainted with
Sharping. A good Chub,
said by the Butchers;
when they have met
with a silly raw Custo­
mer, and they have Bit
him.

Chuck-farthing, a Pa­
rish-Clerk (in the Satyr
against Hypocrites);
also a Play among Boies.

Chum, a Chamber-­
fellow or constant Com­
panion.

Churchyard-cough, that



will terminate in Death.

Churl, an Ill-natur'd
Fellow; a selfish, sordid
Clown. To put a Churl
upon a Gentleman, to Drink
Ale or any Mault-Li­
quor immediately after
Wine.


C I

Ciento, an old Game
at Cards.

Citt, for Citizen.

Civil List, all the
Officers and Servants
in the King's Family.


C L

Clack, a Woman's
Tongue.

Clammed, Starved, or
Famished.See OED, "clem, clam," v. 1.

Clan, Family, Tribe,
Faction, Party in Scot­
land chiefly, but now
any where else.

Clank, c. a Silver-tan­
kard. Clanker, a swing­
ing Lie.

Clank-napper, c. a Sil­
ver-tankard Stealer.
See Bubber, Rum-clank, c.
a large Silver-tankard.
Tip me a rum Clank a
Booz, c. give me a double
Tankard of Drink.

Clap, a Venereal Taint.

Clapper-claw'd, beat
soundly, or paid of in
earnest.

Clapperdogeon, c. a
Begger-born and Bred.

Clark, or Clerk, Scholar
or Book-learned.

Clerkship, or Clergy,
Scholarship or Book-­
learning, though of late
the one be more restrain­
ed to a Clergyman, and
the other appropriate to
a Clergyman's Skill or
Qualifications; because
it may be heretofore,
none but the Clergy
were learned, or so
much as taught to Read.
Hence the Benefit of Cler­
gy, (or Reading) &
legit ut Clericus, in the
Law, for him that could
Read his Neck-verse,
like a Clerk or Scholar,
when so few perhaps
were Scholars or Clerks,
that every one that
could but only Read



passed for no less: We
say still, the greatest
Clarks (or Scholars)
are not the Wisest Men:
And the Scots much to
the same Effect. An
Ounce of Mother-Wit
is worth a Pound of
Clergy, or Book-learn­
ing.

Claw'd off, lustily lasht,
also swingingly Poxt.

Clear, c. very Drunk.
The Cull is clear, let's Bite
him. c. The Fellow is
Damn'd Drunk, let's
Sharp him.

Cleave, has two con­
trary Senses under one
Sound; for to cleave,
(Verb Neuter) is to
cling close or stick fast,
and to cleave, (verb Ac­
tive) is to part or divide;
as to cleave asunder,
when Cleft and Cloven.

Clench, a pun or qui­
ble; also to nick a Busi­
ness by timing it.

Cleymes, c. Sores with­
out Pain raised on Beg­
gers Bodies, by their own
Artifice and cunning,
(to move charity) by
bruising Crows-foot,
Speerwort, and Salt to­
gether, and clapping
them on the Place, which
frets the Skin, then with
a Linnenrag, which sticks
close to it; they tear off
the Skin, and strew on
it a little Powder'd Ars­
nick, which makes it
look angrily or ill fa­
voredly, as if it were a
real Sore.Not found in OED.

Click, c. to Snatch. I
have Clickt the Nab from
the Cull, c. I have whipt the
Hat from the Man's
Head. Click the rum Top­
ping, c. Snatch that Wo­
man's fine Commode.

Clicker, the Shoe-­
maker's Journey-man, or
Servant, that Cutts out
all the Work, and stands
at or walks before the
Door, and saies, what
d'ye'lack Sir, what d'ye
buy Madam.

Clicket, Copulation of
Foxes, and sometimes,
used waggishly for that
of Men and Women.

Clinker, c. a crafty Fel­
low.



Clinkers, c. the Irons
Felons wear in Gaols.

Clip, to hug or em­
brace. To clip and cling,
of a close hug or fast
embrace. To Clip the
Coin, to diminish or Im­
pair it. To clip the King's
English, not to Speak
Plain, when one's Drunk.

Clod-hopper, c. a Plough­
man.

Clod-pate, a heavy, dull
Fellow.

Close, reserv'd, silent,
not talkative, or open.

Close confident, a trusty
Bosom-friend.

Close-fisted, covetous,
stingy, pinching.

Clotts, or thick dropps
of Bloud clottered or in
clots.

Cloud, c. Tobacco.
Will ye raise a Cloud, c.
shall we Smoke a Pipe?

Clouds, or Cloudy-Sky
in opposition to clear
open Sky; as Clouds in
Gemms and Stones, to
clear ones; and Clouded
Face, to a clear pleasant
one. Under a Cloud, in
disgrace, under misfor­
tunes or disasters; Speaks
in the Clouds, of one that
flies or soars in Talking
above the common reach
or capacity.

Cloudy, dark complex­
ion'd.

Clout, c. a Handker­
chief.

Cloy, c. to Steal. Cloy
the Clout, c. to Steal the
Hankerchief. Cloy the
Lour, c. to Steal the Mo­
ney; also, in another
Sense, to Cloy, is to Nau­
seate or Satiate.

Cloyers, c. Thieves,
Robbers, Rogues.

Cloying, c. Stealing,
Thieving, Robbing; al­
so Fulsome or Satiating.

Clowes, c. Rogues.Sole instance in OED.

Clown, a Country-­
Fellow, also one very
Ill-bred or unmannerly,
Being.

Clownish, rustical, un­
polish'd, uncouth.

Club, each Man's par­
ticular Shot; also a
Society of Men agree­
ing to meet according
to a Scheme of Orders
under a slight Penalty



to promote Trade and
Friendship.

Cluck, the noise made
by Hens, when they set
upon their Eggs to Hatch
and are disturb'd, or
come off to Eat, and
also when they wou'd
have Eggs put under
them for that purpose.

Clump, a Heap or
Lump.

Clunch, a clumsy
Clown, an awkward or
unhandy Fellow.

Clutch the Fist, or close
the Hand, whence Clu­
tches. I'll keep out of
your Clutches or Claws;
the Clutches of the Parish,
the Constable or Bea­
dle.

Clutchfisted, the same
as Closefisted.

Clutter, Stir. What
a Clutter you keep? What
a stir you make?

Cly, c. Money. To
Cly the Jerk, c. to be
Whipt. Let's strike his
Cly, c. let's get his Mo­
ney from him; also a
Pocket, Filed a cly, c.
Pickt a Pocket.


C O

Coach-­
wheel
Fore, 
Half a Crown.
Coach-­
wheel hind,
A Crown
or Five
Shilling-­
Piece.

Coals to Newcastles, 
when the Drawer car­
ries away any Win in
the Pot or Bottle. To
blow the Coals, to raise
differences between Par­
ties. He'll carry no Coals,
not be Pissed upon, or
Imposed upon, nor bear
a Trick, or take an Af­
front, or tamely pass by
any ill Treatment. Let
him that has need blow the
Coals, Let him Labour
that wants.

Cob, a Dollar (in
Ireland)

Cobble, to mend or
patch.

Cobbled, bunglingly
done.

Cobble-colter, c. a Tur­
key. A rum Cobble-col­
ter, c. a fat large Cock-­
Turkey.



Cobweb-cheat, easily
found out.Not found in OED.

Cobweb-pretence, slight,
trivial, weak.Not found in OED.

Cock-a-hoop, upon the
high Ropes Rampant,
Transported.

Cockish, wanton up­
pish, forward.

Cockale, pleasant Drink,
said to be provocative.

Cock-baw'd, a Man that
follows that base Em­
ployment.Not found in OED.

Cocker, one skill'd in,
or much delighted with
the sport of Cock-fight­
ing.

Cockney, Born with­
in the Sound of Bow-­
bell; (in London) also
one ignorant in Country
Matters.

Cock oyster, the Male.

Cock-pimp, a Supposed
Husband to a Bawd.See OED, "cock," n. 1, 21.

Cock-robbin, a soft,
easy Fellow.

Cock-sure, very Sure.

Cod, a good sum of
Money; also a Fool. A
meer Cod, a silly, shallow
Fellow. A rum Cod, c.
a good round sum of
Money. A jolly or lusty
Cod, c. the same. An
honesty Cod, a trusty
Friend.

Codders, gatherers of
Peascods.

Cod's Head, a Fool.

Codsounds, the Pith or
Marrow in the Cod's
Back, esteem'd as choice
Peck.Antedates OED "sound," n. 1, 2 (1769).

Cofe, c. as Cove.

Cog, to cheat at Dice,
Cog a Die; to conceal or
secure a Die; also the
Money or whatever the
Sweetners drop to draw
in the Bubbles; also to
wheedle, as Cog a Dinner
to wheedle a Spark out
of a Dinner.

Cogue, of Brandy, a
small Cup or Dram.

Coker, c. a Lye, rum
Coker, c. a whisking Lye.

Cokes, the Fool in the
Play, or Bartholomew-­
Fair, and hence (per­
haps) Coxcomb.

Cold, shy, or averse
to Act.

Cold-Tea, Brandy. A
couple of cold words, a Cur­
tain-Lecture. Cold-Iron,



Derisory Periphrasis for
a Sword. In cold Blood,
when the heat of War,
or Passion are over.
The Matter will keep
cold, it will stay a while,
and not be the worse for
keeping.

Cole, c. Money.

Coliander-seed, c. Mo­
ney.

Collation, a Treat or
Entertainment.

College, c. Newgate;
also the Royal Exchange.

Collegiates, c. those Pri­
soners, and Shop-keepers.

Collogue, wheedle.

Colquarron, c. a Man's
Neck.Not found in OED.

Colt, c. an Inn-keeper
that lends a Horse to a
Highway-man, or to
Gentlemen Beggers; al­
so a Lad newly bound
Prentice.

Coltish, said when an
old Fellow is frolicksom
or wanton; or he has a
Colt's Tooth.

Colt-bowl, laid short
of the Jack by a Colt-bowler.

Colt-bowler, a raw or
unexperienc'd Person.

Colt-veal, very red.

Come, c. to Lend. Has
he come it? c. has he lent
it you?

Comical, very pleasant,
or diverting.

Coming women, such as
are free of their Flesh;
also breeding Women.

Commission, c. a Shirt.

Commode, a Womans
Head-dress, easily put
on, and as soon taken
off.

Common-garden-gout, 
or rather Covent-gar­
den, the Pox.

Common Women, 
Whores, Plyers in the
Streets and at Bawdy-­
Houses.

Complement, the Ship's
or Regiment's compleat
Number or Company.

Comfortable Importance, 
a Wife.See OED, "importance," I.1.b.

Conceited, a Self-lover,
and Admirer, Wise in
his own Opinion.

Coney-sitteth. 

Confect, Counter­
feit.

Conger, a Set or Knot
of Topping Book-sellers



of London, who agree
among themselves, that
whoever of them Buys
a good Copy, the rest
are to take off such
a particular number, as
(it may be) Fifty, in
Quires, on easy Terms.
Also they that joyn to­
gether to Buy either a
Considerable, or Dan­
gerous Copy. And a
great over-grown Sea-­
Eel.

Conjurers, Astrologers,
Physiognomists, Chiroman­
cers, and the whole
Tribe of Fortune-tellers,
by the common Peo­
ple (Ignorantly) so
called.

Consent, Leave, Ap­
probation, Agreement.
Affected by Consent, as
one Sore Eye infects the
other, (unseen) because
they are both strung
with one Optic Nerve:
As in two Strings set to
an Unison, upon the
Touch of One, the
other will sound.

Consult of Physicians,  
Two, or more.

Content, a thick Li­
quor, made up in Rolls
in imitation of Choco­
late, Sold in some Coffee-­
Houses.

Contre-temps, making
a Pass or Thrust with­
out any advantage, or
to no purpose.

Convenient, c. a Mis­
tress; also a Whore.

Conundrums, Whimms,
Maggots, and such like.

Cony, a silly Fellow, a
meer Cony, very silly in­
deed.

Cook-ruffin, c. the De­
vil of a Cook, or a very
bad one.

Cool-crape, a slight
Chequer'd Stuff made in
imitation of Scotch
Plad.

Cooler, a Woman.

Cool-Lady, a Wench
that sells Brandy (in
Camps).

Cool-nantz, Brandy.Not found in OED.

Cool Tankard, Wine and
Water, with a Lemon
Sugar and Nutmeg.



Copper-nos'd, extreme­
ly Red.

Coquet, a flippant,
pert Gossip.

Corky-brain'd, Fellow,
silly, foolish.

Corinthian, a very im­
pudent, harden'd bra­
zen fac'd Fellow.

Cornish hug, a hard
gripe, or squeeze.

Corn-jobber, an Enhan­
cer of the Price, by
early buying, monopo­
lizing, and sharp tricks.
A great Harvest of a little
Corn, a great adoe in a
little Matter. He mea­
sures my Corn by his own
Bushel, he muses as he uses,
he thinks me Bad be­
cause he is so himself.

Cornuted, made a
Cuckold of.

Corny-fac'd, a very Red
or Blue pimpled Phiz.

Cosset, a Fondling
Child.

Cosset-Colt or Lamb, 
brought up by Hand,
made Tame, and used
to follow any Body a­
bout the House.

Costard, the Head.
I'll give ye a knock on the
Costard, I'll hit ye a
blow on the Pate.

Coster-monger, a Whole­
sale Dealer in Apples,
Pears, &c.

Cot, for Cotquean, a
Man that meddles with
Womens matters.

Cotton, they don't cotton, 
they don't agree well.

Cote, a sorry, slight
Country-House or Ho­
vel, now a Cottage. Hence
the Compounds yet in
use, of Dove-cote, Sheep-­
cote, &c.

Couchée, going to Bed
I was at Court at the
Couchee, I attended the
King at his going to
Bed.

Couch a Hogs-head, c.
to go to Bed.

Cove, c. a Man, a Fel­
low; also a Rogue, The
Rogue was bit, c. the Rogue
was out-sharp'd or out-­
witted. The Cove has
bit the Cole, c. The Rogue
has stolen the Money.
The Cove's a rum Diver,
c. that Fellow is a clea­
ver Pick-pocket.



Covey, of Whores, a well
fill'd Bawdy-house;
also of Partridges, a Nest
or Brood.

Counterfeit-cranks, c.
the Twentieth Rank
or Order of the Canting
Tribe.

Counterfeit, a Cheat
or Imposter. A Counter­
feiter of Hands, a For­
ger. A Counterfeiter of
Persons, a Sham. Counter­
feit Gemms or Jewels,
Bristol-stones. Counter­
feiters, for the most part
exceed the Truth. Thus
a Flatterer pleases more
than a Friend; a Brag­
gadochio-coward thun­
ders more than a Hero;
a Mountebank promi­
ses more than a Doctor,
and a Hypocrite over-­
acts a Religious Man, as
a Counterfeit Gem is
often fairer than a
True one.

Country-put, a silly
Country-Fellow.

Couped up, Imprison'd,
Environ'd, Surrounded,
Pent up.

Court-promises, fair
Speeches, or empty Pro­
mises without perfor­
mances. Much the same
with Court-holy-water.
Court-card, a gay flutter­
ing Fellow. Court-tricks,
State-Policy.

Course, or rather
Coarse, homely, or­
d'nary, oppos'd to
fine; as Coarse treatment,
rough or rude Dealing;
Coarse fare, homely
Food; a Coarse Dish, a
mean one; Coarse or
Hard-Favor'd, oppos'd to
Fair or Handsom. Of
Course, of Custom; out
of Course, extraordinary,
or out of the way; a
Horse-Course a Race; also
the place where the
Race is Run. A Water-­
course, a Drain. Course
of Law, the proceedings,
at Law. The Law must
have its Course, or run
freely. A Course of
Physick, an Order or set
Constitution of Physick,
for a continuance or



course of time. Course
of the Sun, Yearly or
Daily, a Yearly or Dai­
ly Revolution. Course of
the Moon, the Circle of a
Month.

Court-holy-water, Court
Promises.

Cow-hearted, fearful or
Hen-hearted.

Cows-thumb, when a
thing is done exactly,
nicely, or to a Hair.See OED "cow," n. 1, 2b.

Cows-baby, a Calf

Coxcomb, a Fool; a
silly Coxcomb, a very
foolish Fellow.

Crabbed, sower, churls.


C R

Crab-lice, Cock, Male.
Hen, Female.
Vermin breeding in
Moist and Hairy Parts
of the Body.

Crack, c. a Whore.

Cracker, c. an Arse;
also Crust.

Crackish, c. Whorish.

Cracking, Boasting,
Vaporing. Crackt-credit,
Lost, Gone, Broken.
Crackt-title, Unsound.
Crackt-brains, lost Wits.

Crackmans, c. Hedges.

Cramped, a weight
with a string tied to
one's Toe, when a
Sleep, much used by
School-boies, one to a­
nother; also obstructed
or hampered in any
Business whatever.

Crag, a Neck; also
a Rock.

Cramp-rings, c. Bolts
or Shackles.

Cramp-words, difficult
or uncommon.Antedates earliest OED citation ("cramp," a., 1; 1887).

Crank, brisk, pert.

Cranksided-ship, that
does not bear Sail well.

Cranked shells or Stones, 
wrinkled or wreathed.

Crap, c. Money. Nim
the Crap, c. to Steal the
Money. Wheedle for Crap,
c. to coakse Money out
of any Body.

Crash, c. to Kill.

Crash, the Cull, c.
Kill the Fellow.

Crashing-cheats, c.
Teeth.

Craz'd, Mad.

Crazy, infirm or dis­
temper'd.

Creatures, Men raised



by others, and their
Tools ever after.

Creeme, to slip or
slide any thing into ano­
ther's Hand.

Crew, the Coxon and
Rowers in the Barge, or
Pinnace, are called the
Boats-crew, in distinction
from the Complement
of Men on Board the
Ship, who are term'd
the Ships-company, not
Crew; also an ill Knot
or Gang, as a Crew of
Rogues.

Crimp, one that un­
dertakes for, or agrees
to unlade a whole Ship
of Coals. To play Crimp,
to lay or bet on one
side, and (by foul play)
to let t'other win, hav­
ing a share of it. Run
a Crimp, to run a Race
or Horse-match fouly or
knavishly. He Crimps
it, he plays booty. A
Crimping Fellow, a sneak­
ing Cur.

Crinkums, the French
Pox.

Crispin, a Shoe-maker,
from the St. of that
Name, their Patron.

Crispin's Holy-day, ev'ry
Munday in the Year,
but more particularly
the Twenty fifth of
October, whereon the
whole Fraternity fail
not to lay theyr Hearts
in Soak.

Crochets, in the crown,
whimsies, Maggots.

Crockers, Forestallers,
Regraters, see Badgers

Crokers, c. a Groat or
Four-pence. The Cull
tipt me a Croker, c. the
Fellow gave me a Groat.

Crony, a Camerade or
intimate Friend; an old
Crony, one of long stand­
ing; used also for a
tough old Hen.

Crop, one with very
short Hair; also a Horse
whose Ears are Cut.

Crop-ear'd-Fellow, whose
Hair is so short it won't
hide his Ears.

Croppin-ken, c. a Privy,
or Bog-house.Not found in OED.

Crop-sick, Stomack-­
sick.

Crossbite, c. to draw



in a Friend, yet snack
with the Sharper.

Crosspatch, a peevish
froward Person.

Crotiles, Hares Excre­
ments.

Crow-over, to insult
or domineer. To pluck
a Crow with one, to have
a bout with him. Strut
like a Crow in a Gutter,
said in jeer of the Stalk­
ing of a proud Fellow.
The Crow thinks her own
Bird the Fairest, applied
to those that dote on
their foul Issues. As
good Land as any the
Crow flies over, with
regard it may be, to the
Crow's being a long Li­
ver; as no Carrion will
kill a Crow, to his being
so hardy a Bird.

Crowder, a Fidler.

Crown, the top of the
Head or Hat; Imperi­
al or Regal Crown.
Where the Earth is raised
it is said, to be Crown'd
with Hills, in Poetry.
The End Crowns all, said
both of the Event of
Actions, and Finishing
of Works. In the Crown-­
Office, Drunk; also to
Crown, to pour on the
Head.

Cruisers, c. Beggers;
also nimble Friggats
Coasting to and fro for
Prizes, and to carry Or­
ders, &c.

Crump, c. one that
helps Sollicitors to Affi­
davit-men, and Swearers,
and Bail, who for a
small Sum will be Bound
or Swear for any Body;
on that occasion, putting
on good Cloaths to
make a good appearance,
that Bail may be ac­
cepted.

Crump-back'd, Crook­
ed or Huncht-backt.

Crumplings, wrinkled
Codlings, usually the
least, but sweetest.

Crusty beau, one that
lies with a Cover over
his Face all Night, and
uses Washes, Paint, &c.


C U

Cub, or young cub, c.
a new Gamester drawn



in to be rookt; also a
young Bear, a Fox, and
a Martern the first Year.

Cucumbers, Taylers.

Cucumber-time, Tay­
lers Holiday, when they
have leave to Play, and
Cucumbers are in Sea­
son.

Cudgelliers, a Mob
rudely arm'd; also Cud­
gel-Players.

Cuffin, c. a Man.

Cuffin-quire, c. see
Quire-cuffin.

Culp, a kick, or blow;
also a bit of any thing.

Culp of the Gutts, (Suf­
folk) a hearty kick at
the Belly.

Cull,
Cully, c. a Man, a Fop,
a Rogue, a
Fool or silly Creature
that is easily drawn in
and Cheated by Whores
or Rogues. Cully napps
us, c. the Person Rob­
b'd, apprehends us. A
Bob-cull, c. a sweet-hu­
mour'd Man to a Whore,
and who is very Com­
plaisant. A Curst-cull, c.
an ill-natur'd Fellow, a
Churl to a Woman.

Culm, the small or
dust of Sea-coal.

Cunning-shaver, a sharp
Fellow.

Cup-shot, Drunk.

Cup of Comfort, as Cup of the Creature.

Cup of the Creature, 
Strong-liquor. A Cup too
low, when any of the
Company are mute or
pensive. To carry one's
Cup even between two
Parties, to be equal and
indifferent, between
them. Many things fall
out between the Cup and
the Lip, or many things
intervene between the
forming and accom­
plishing a Design.

Cur, a Dog of a mun­
grel Breed, good for
nothing.

Curle, c. Clippings of
Money.

Currish-fellow, snap­
ping, snarling.

Curmudgeon, an old
Covetous Fellow, a Miser.

Currant-coyn, good and
Lawful Money. Currant
Custom, a received cu­
stom, the

Current, Stream; also



humor or bent of the
People.

Cursitors, c. Vaga­
bonds; the first (old)
Rank of Canters.

Curst, a curst Cur, a
sower, surly, snarling,
fierce Dog; a Curst
Cow has short Horns.

Curtals, c. the Ele­
venth Rank of the Can­
ting Crew.

Curtail'd, cut off,
shorten'd.

Curtezan, a gentile fine
Miss or Quality Whore.

Curtain-Lecture, Wo­
mens impertinent Scold­
ing at their Husbands.

Cushion, beside the Cu­
shion, beside the Mark.

Cut, Drunk. Deep Cut,
very Drunk. Cut in the
Leg or Back, very drunk.
To Cut, c. to Speak. To
Cut bene, c. to Speak
gently, civilly, or kind­
ly; to Cut bene (or ben
nar) Whidds, c. to
give good Words. To
Cut quire whidds, c. to
give ill Language. A
Cut or Chop of Meat.
Cut and come again, of
Meat that cries come
Eat me. A cutting wind,
very sharp. Of the pre­
cize Cut or Stamp, a de­
mure starcht Fellow.
No Present to be made of
Knives, because they Cut
kindness. Ready Cut and
Dried, or turned for the
purpose. Not Cut out for
it, nor turned out for it.
To Cut another out of any
business, to out-doe him
far away, or excell, or
circumvent. I'll cut you
out business, I'll find you
Work enough. A Book
with Cuts or Figures;
Brass or Wooden Cutts
or Prints from Copper­
plates, or Wood. A
Cut thro at House or Town,
where sharp and Large
Reckonings are impo­
sed, as at Gravesend,
Deal, Dover, Portsmouth,
Plimouth, Harwich, Hel­
voet sluyce, the Briel, and
indeed all Sea-ports, nay
and Common-wealths too,
according to the obser­
vation of a late Learned
Traveller in his ingeni­
ous Letters publish'd in



Holland.


D A

Dab, c. expert exqui­
site in Roguery; a Rum
dab, c. a very Dextrous
fellow at fileing, thiev­
ing, Cheating, Sharping,
&c. He is a Dab at it,
He is well vers'd in it.

Dablers, in Poetry,
meer Pretenders.

Dace, c. Two-pence,
Tip me a Dace, c. Lend
Two-pence, or pay so
much for me.

Dag, a Gun.

Draggle-tail, a nasty
dirty Slut.

Damask the Claret, Put
a roasted Orange slasht
smoking hot in it.

Damber, c. a Rascal.

Damme-boy, a roaring
mad, blustering fellow,
a Scourer of the Streets.

Dancers, c. Stairs.

Dandyprat, a little pu­
ny Fellow.

Dangle, to hang.

Dapper-fellow, a short,
pert, brisk, tidy Fellow.

Darby, c. ready Mo­
ney.

Darbys, c. Irons, Shac­
kles or Fetters.

Darkmans, c. The
night. The Child of dark­
ness, c. a Bell-man.

Darkmans-Budge,  
c. a House-creeper, one
that slides into a House
in the dusk, to let in
more Rogues to rob.

Dash, a Tavern-Draw­
er. A dash of Gentian,
Wormwood, or stale Beer, a
slight touch or tincture
of each, to dash or brew
as Vintners jumble their
Wines together, when
they sophisticate them.
A dash of Rain, a sudden,
short, impetuous pour­
ing down, to distinguish
it from a soft Shower, or
a sprinkling of Rain.

Dastard, a Coward.

Dawn, Day-break or
peep of Day, as the
Dusk is twilight or sha­
dow of the Evening. One
may see day at a little hole,
or discover the Lyon by his
Paw.

Dawbing, bribing; also
ill painting or thick lay­
ing on of Colours:



Hence bedawb'd with
Gold or Silver-Lace, when
it is laid thick or close
on.


D E

Dead Cargo, not a
quarter or half freighted.
To wait for dead mens
shoes, for what is little
worth, or may never
come to pass. To play or
work for a dead horse for
a trifle.

Dead-men, empty-Pots
or bottles on a Tarvern-­
table.

Dear Joies, Irishmen.

Debauchee, a Rake-hel

Decayed, Gentleman or
Tradesman, broken.

Deckt-out, tricked up
in fine Cloaths.

Decus, c. a Crown or
five shilling-piece. The
Cull tipt me a score of De­
cuses, c. my Camerade
lent me five Pounds.

Deft-Fellow, a tidy,
neat, little Man.

Defunct, dead and
gone.

Degen, c. a Sword.
Nimm the Degen, c. steal
the Sword, or whip it
from the Gentleman's
Side.

Deists, against the Tri­
nity.

Dells, c. the twenty
sixth order of the canting
Tribe; young bucksome
Wenches, ripe and prone
to Venery, but have not
lost their Virginity,
which the upright man
pretends to, and seizes:
Then she is free for any
of the Fraternity; also a
common Strumpet.

Dequarting, throwing
of the left Foot and Bo­
dy backwards.Not found in OED.

Dergin, a very short
Man or Woman.

Desperate Fellow, fit
for any lew'd Prank or
Villany, desperate condi­
tion, without any hopes.

Devil-drawer, a sor­
ry Painter.

Deuseavile, c. the
Country.Not found in OED.

Deuseavile-Stampers, 
c. Country-Carriers.Not found in OED.

Dews-wins, c. two
Pence.Not found in OED.

Dewitted, cut in pieces,
as that great States­



man Iohn de Witt, was
in Holland Anno 1672.
by the Mob.


D I

Diamond cut Diamond,  
bite the Biter.See OED, "diamond," n., 7.c.

Dibble, a poaking
Stick to set Beans with.

Die like a Dog, to be
hang'd, the worst Em­
ployment a Man can be
put to. Die on a Fish-day,
or in his shoes the same, die
like a Rat. To be poy­
soned.

Dig the Badger, dis­
lodg him.

Dimber, c. pretty.

Dimber-cove, a pretty
Fellow.

Dim-mort, c. a pretty
Wench.

Dimber-Damber, c.
a Top-man or Prince
among the Canting
Crew; also the chief
Rogue of the Gang, or
the compleatest Cheat.

Dimple, a small grace­
ful dent in the Chin
called in Ignoramus,
Love's pretty Dimple.

Din, c. what a din
you keep! what a noise
you make!

Dine with Duke Hum­
phrey, to go without a
Dinner.

Ding, c. to knock
down. Ding the Cull, c.
knock down the Fellow.

Ding-boy, c. a Rogue,
a Hector, a Bully, Sharp­
er.

Ding-dong, helter-skel­
ter.

Dint, edge or force;
dint of the Sword, edge
of the Sword; dint of
argument, force or pow­
er of Argument.

Dippers, Ana-baptists.

Dipt, engag'd or in
debt, Land pawn'd or
mortgag'd. Damnably
dipt, deep in debt. He
has dipt his Terra firma,
he has mortgaged his
dirty Acres. He has dipt
his Bill, he is almost drunk.
The cull has dipt his Tol, c.
the Spark has pawn'd his
Sword. The Dell has dipt
her Rigging, c. the
Whore has pawn'd her
Cloaths.



Dirty Acres, an Estate
in Land.See OED "terra firma," 4.

Dirty Beau, a slovenly
Fellow, yet pretending
to Beauishness.

Dirty puzzle, a sorry
Slattern or Slut.

Disaffection, a disorder
of any part of the Body.
Disaffected to the State,
Malecontents or factions.

Disgruntled, disobliged
or distasted.

Disingenuous, or indi­
rect dealing, oppos'd to
dealing on the Square.

Disguis'd, drunkish.

Dismal ditty, a Psalm
at the Gallows; also
a dull Ballad, or silly
Song.

Dive, c. to pick a
Pocket.

Diver, c. a Pick-poc­
ket.


D O

Doash, c. a cloak.Not found in OED.

Dock, c. to lie with a
woman. The Cull Dockt
the Dell in the Darkmans
the Rogue lay with a
Wench all night.

Doctor, c. a false Die,
that will run but two or
three Chances. They put the
Doctor upon him, c. they
cheated him with false
Dice.

Dog'd, follow'd close,
way-laid. Agree like Dog
and Cat, of those that are
at variance. Every Dog
will have his day, none
so wretched but has his
good Planet. An easy
thing to find a Stick to
beat a Dog, or it costs lit­
tle to trouble those that
cannot help themselves.
It is an ill Dog is not worth
the whistling after; or
spare to speak spare to
speed. He play'd me a
Dog-trick, he did basely
and dirtily by me.

Dogged, Sullen, pout­
ing, or in the Dumps.

Doggrel, a Term for
the meanest and basest
Verse; such as Ballads,
Bellmens-songs, and the
like Meeter of snow-hill.

Doit, half a Farthing.
Dutch Money, eight to a
Penny, not a doit left, he
has spent all.

Doll, a wooden Block



to make up Commodes
upon; also a Child's Ba­
by.

Doltish, c. Foolish.

Dolthead, a Fool.

Domerars, c. Rogues,
pretending to have had
their Tongues cut out, or
to be born dumb and
deaf, who artificially
turning the tip of their
Toungs, into their
Throat, and with a stick
makeing it bleed, weak
people think it the stump
of their Tongue; one
of whom being askt ha­
rtily how long he had been
dumb? answer'd but three
weeks, this is the twenty
first. Order of Canters;
the Word also signifying
Mad-men.

Dotard, An old drow­
sy Fellow come to Do­
tage.

Doudy, An ugly
coarse hard favored Wo­
man. She is a meer Dou­
dy, that is, very ugly.

Dover court, all Speak­
ers and no Hearers.Not found in OED but see "mobbish," adj. (1695). 

Down-hills, c. Dice that
run low.

Doxies, c. She-beggers,
Trulls, Wenches, Whores,
the twenty fifth Rank of
Canters; being neither,
Maids, Wives, nor Wid­
dows, will for good Vi­
ctuals, or a very small
piece of money prosti­
tute their Bodies, pro­
testing that they never did so
before, and that meer
necessity then oblig'd
them to it (tho' com­
mon Hackneys) These
are very dextrous at
picking Pockets (in
the action) and so bar­
barous as often to mur­
der the Children thus
got.


D R

Drab, a Whore, or
Slut, a Dirty drab, a ve­
ry nasty Slut.

Drag, a Fox's Tail.

Dragg'd, through the
Horse-pond, or Bog-house.
Bailives and Sergeants
are served so that pre­
sume to arrest any Body
within the Verge of the
Court-royal, or Precincts



of the Inns of Court.

Dragg'd up, as the
Rakes call it, educated
or brought up.

Dray, of Squirrels.See OED, "dray, drey," n. 2.

Drawers, c. Stockings.

Drawing, Beating the
Bushes after the Fox.

Draw-Latches, c. the
fourth (old) Order of
the Canting Tribe of
Rogues.

Drawling in Speech, or
dreaming of Speech, when
the Words are drawn
out at length, and keep
as great a distance from
one another, as if they
were not all of a Com­
pany.

Dreaming Fellow, a
dull, drowsy, heavy
Creature. Drift, Design,
Aim, Intent.

Drill, to draw in, and
entice by degrees; also
boring of Pearl.

Dripper, a sort of
Clap, or venereal glea­
ting.

Dripping-weather, the
same with dropping.

Dromedary, c. a Thief
or Rogue; also a kind
of Camel with two bun­
ches on his Back. You
are a purple Dromedary, c.
You are a Bungler or a
dull Fellow at thieving.

Drommerars, c. see
Domerars.

Droppers, c. Sweetners.

Drop a cog, c. to let fall
(with design to draw in
and cheat) a Piece of
Gold; also the piece it
self.

Drop-in-his-eye, almost
drunk.

Droop, to fall away,
to pine, to break with
Age or Infirmity, a
drooping bird that hangs
the Wing.

Drovers, Horse-leaders
in Fairs, or Markets,
and Graziers or Drivers
of Beasts.

Drub, beat with a
stick or Cable-end.

Drudge, or rather
dredge, the way of catch­
ing Oysters; also a labo­
rious Person.

Drumbelo, a dull hea­
vy Fellow. A meer drum­
belo, a very Slug.Not found in OED.

Drunk with a continu­



ando, de die in diem.

Dry blows, or dry-bast­
ing for Rib-roasting.

Dry bob, a smart or
sharp Repartee.

Dry-boots, a sly, close,
cunning Fellow.

Dry-drinking, without
a bit of Victuals, Dry-­
wine, a little rough upon,
but very grateful to the
Palate.

Dry youth, sharp, close,
witty.


D U

Dub, c. a Pick-lock key.

Dub, the Giger, c. open
the Door. We'll strike it
upon the dub, c. we will
rob that Place.

Dubber, c. a Picker of
Locks.

Dub'd, Knighted.

A Duce, c. two Pence.

Duck-leggs, short-leggs.

Dudds, c. Cloaths or
Goods. Rum dudds, c.
fine or rich cloaths or
Goods.

Dudd, Cheats wonne, 
c. Cloaths and things
stolen. Abram Cove has
wonne (or bit) Rum dudds,
c. the poor Fellow has
stolen very costly
Cloaths.

Dudgeon, Anger, Quar­
rel, Displeasure.

Duke of Exeter's Daugh­
ter, a Rack in the To­
wer of London, to tor­
ture and force Confessi­
on; supposed to be in­
troduced by him, some­
times (formerly) now
not in use.

Dullard, a heavy dull
stupid Fellow.

Dulpickle, the same.Not found in OED.

Dum-found, to beat
soundly. I dumfounded
the sawcy Rascal, I bang'd
his Back tightly. In the
dumps, troubled, cha­
grin, melancholic.

Dunaker, c. a Cow-­
stealer.Not found in OED.

Duncarring, Buggering.Not found in OED.

Dunner, a Sollicitor for
Debts.

Dunn'd, teiz'd, or
much importun'd.

Dunder-head, a dull
heavy Creature.

Dundering Rake, a thun­
dering Rake, or of the first



Rank, one develishly
lewd.

Dup, c. to enter, or
open the door, dup the
ken, c. enter the House,
dup the boozing ken and
booz a gage, c. go into
the Ale-house and drink
a Pot.

Durance, a Prison.

Durk, a short Dagger,
in use with the Scots, as
Stilletto is with the Itali­
ans.

Dusk, or Twilight,
the shadow of the Even­
ing, as Dawn in Day­
break or peep of Day.

Dust, money, down
with your Dust, deposit
your Money, pay your
Reckoning. Also in ano­
ther sense, dust it away
drink quick about.

Dutchified, in the
Dutch Interest, or of
that Faction.

Dutch-Reckoning, or
Alte-mall, a verbal or
Lump-account without
particulars.


E A

Eager, warm, or earn­
est in Debate; also sharp
Liquors, as hard Beer,
Wine turned soure, &c.
Hence the Compounds,
Vinegar, Alegar.

Eagle, c. the winning
Gamester.

Earnest, c. Part or
Share. Tip me my earnest, c.
give me my Snack or Di­
vidend.

Easy, facil, supple,
pliable, managable. He
is an easy fellow, very
silly or soft, an easy mort,
c. a forward or coming
wench.


E B

Ebb-water, c. when
there's but little Money
in the Pocket.


E D

Edge-tools, as Scythes,
Swords, and such as
are set or ground, as
Razors, Knives, Scissors,
Sheers, &c. to distin­
guish them from flat
Tools and Tongs, &c. 'tis
ill jesting with Edge-tools



or trusting unexpert Men
with dangerous things.
Fall back fall edge or
come what will.


E F

Effort, an Endeavour
or Proffer, a Weak Effort,
an Offer in vain.


E G

Egge one on, to prick
him on, to provoke or
stir him up. He'll be glad
to take Eggs for his money,
or to compound the
matter with Loss. You
come in with your five
Eggs a penny, and four of
'em addle, of a Pragmati­
cal Prater, or Busy-body,
that wasts many Words
to little purpose. To
leave a Nest-egg, to have
alwaies a Reserve to
come again. As sure as
Eggs be Eggs. When no­
thing is so sure. As full
of Roguery as an Egg is
full, of Meat.


E L

Elbow-grease, a deriso­
ry Term for Sweat. It
will cost nothing but a little
Elbow-grease; in a jeer to
one that is lazy, and
thinks much of his La­
bour. Who is at your El­
bow? a Caution to a Ly­
er. He lives by shaking
of the Elbow; a Game­
ster.

Elonge, to stretch for­
ward the right Arm and
Leg, and to keep a close
Left-foot.

Elevated, pufft up;
also raised to Honour,
Dignity, &c. Above the
common Elevation, above
the common Level.


E M

Eminence, a Rising op­
posed to a flat Ground,
rais'd to an Eminence of
pitch of greatness; to
make a figure, or be a
Man of mark in the
World, i.e. to be con­
spicuous, as a City set
on a Hill cannot be hid.
His Eminence, the Title
given to a Cardinal.

Empty-fellow, Silly.

Empty-skull'd, Foolish.

Empty talk, silly, idle



vain Discourse, more
Noise than Sense.


E N

Ends, Aim, Design,
Drift, and variously used
in composition, as, Candle-­
ends, Ends of gold and silver,
Shreds of either. Cable-­
ends, finger-ends, for ex­
tremity or utmost part
of either. Tis good to
make both Ends meet, or to
cut your Coat accord­
ing to your Cloth. Every
thing has an End, and a
Pudding has two.

English-cane, an oak­
en Plant.Not found in OED.

English Manufacture, 
Ale, Beer, or Syder.

Ensnaring Questions, In­
terrogatories laid to trap
and catch one.

Entries, where the
Deer have lately passed
the thickets.


E P

Epicure-an, one that
indulges himself,
nice of the Palate, very
curious and a critick in
eating.


E Q

Equip, c. to furnish
one.

Equipt, c. rich; also
having new Clothes. Well
equipt, c. plump in the
Pocket, or very full of
Money; also very well
drest. The Cull equipt me
with a brace of Meggs, c.
the Gentleman furnish'd
me with a couple of
Guineas.


E R

Eriffs, Canary-birds
two years old.


E V

Evasion, a Shift, fly or
indirect Answer.

Eves-drop, to be an
Eves-dropper

Eves-dropper, one that
skulks, lurks at or lies
under his Neighbor's
Window or Door.


E W

Ewe, or the White Ewe,



c. a Top-woman among
the Canting Crew, very
beautiful.See OED, "ewe," n. 1, 2.


E X

Execution-day, Wash­
ing-day; also that on
which the Malefactors
Die.

Exigence, a special or
extraordinary occasion,
a pinch.

Expedient, a ready
shift or trick to deliver
one from any difficulty,
or danger near at hand.


E Y

Ey, of Pheasants, the
whole Brood of young
ones.

Eye-sore, an Annoy­
ance, whatever is griev­
ous or offensive, an
unwelcome dish or guest.
All that you get you may
put in your Eye and see
ne'er the worse, a pleasant
Periphasis or Round of
Words, for getting no­
thing at all. 'Tis good
to have an Eye to the
main Chance, or look to
your Hits. What the
Eye ne'er sees the Heart
ne'er rues: Or out of
Sight, out of Mind.


F A

Facer, c. a Bumper
without Lip-room.

Face in Wine, the
Colour. A good Face, a
very fine bright Colour.
To make a Face, to make
a show or feign; also
to wryth contract or
distort the Face in Con­
tempt or Derision. To
set a good Face upon a
bad Cause, or Matter, to
make the best of it. A
good Face needs no Band,
or no advantage to set
it off. The Broad-fac'd Bird,
or the Bird that is all
Face under Feathers, a
Periphrasis for an Owl.
Face about to the Right or
Left, turn about. to Face
Danger, to meet it. Fa­
cing of the Sleeve, the
Turn-up.

Facetious, full of Mer­
ry Tales and Jests, plea­
santly merry.

Factitious, Bodies made



by Art, as Glass, Paper,
and all Compound or
made Metals, as Brass,
Steel, Pewter, Latin, &c.

Fadge, it won't fadge
or doe.

Fag, c. to Beat.

Fag'd, c. Beaten.

Fag the Bloss, c. bang
the Wench.

Fag the Fen, c. drub
the Whore.

Faggot the Culls, c.
Bind the Men.

Faggots, Men Mus­
ter'd for Souldiers, not
yet Listed.

Fair Roe-Buck, the
Fifth Year.

Fair Speech, or fine
Words. Fair-spoken, or
Courteous. A Fair Day,
or Fair Weather. Fair
in the Cradle, and foul in
the Saddle, a pretty Boy,
and a hard-favor'd Man.
Soft and Fair goes far;
or not more Haste than
good Speed. Fair and
far off; wide of the
Mark. You have made a
Fair Speech, said in derisi­
on of one that spends
many Words to little
purpose. A Fair or Mar­
ket for Beasts. A Day af­
ter the Fair, a Day too
late, of one that has
out-stayed his Markets.

Fall-a-bord, fall on and
Eat heartily.

Fallacies, Cheats,
Tricks, Deceipts.

Falter, to fail or more
particularly a failure, or
Trip of the Tongue,
entangled with the Pal­
sy; produced also from
excess of Drink, or
Guilt.

Famms, c. Hands.

Fambles, c. Hands.

Famble-cheats, c. Gold-­
rings, or Gloves.

Famgrasp, c. to agree
or make up a Difference.
Famgrasp the Cove c. to
agree with the Adver­
sary.

Family of Love, Lewd
Women, Whores; also
a Sect.

Fangs, Beast-claws as
Talons are of a Bird.

Fanning, or refreshing
of the Trees or Woods
with Wind. Fanning or
refreshing of a Close



Room, opening the
Windows. Fire-fanns,
little Hand-Skreens for
the Fire.

Fantastick, Whimsical,
Freakish, or Capricious.
A Fantastick Dress, very
particular, remarkable.

Fardel, a Bundle.

Fardy, for Ferdinando.

Fare, Hire; also a litter
of Piggs.

Farting-crackers, c.
Breeches.

Fast-friends, sure or
trusty.

Fastner, c. a Warrant.

Fastnesses, Boggs.Sense not found in OED.

Fat, the last landed,
inned or stow'd of any
sort of Merchandize
whatever, so called by
the several Gangs of
Water-side-Porters, &c.

Fat Cull, c. a rich Fel­
low. All the Fat is in
the Fire, of a miscarri­
age or shrewd Turn.
Change of Pasture makes
Fat Calves, of him that
thrives upon mending
his Commons.

Faulkner, c. see Tum­
bler, first Part.

Faytors, c. the Second
(old) Rank of the
Canting Crew.


F E

Feat, strange, odd.

Feats of Activity, ex­
ercise, or Agility of Bo­
dy in Tumbling, turning
through a Hoop, Run­
ning, Leaping, Vaulting,
Wrestling, Pitching of
the Bar, Quoiting, &c. or
Slights of Hand, Tricks,
Legerdemain, &c.

Feats of Chivalry, Ex­
ploits of War, Riding
the great Horse, Tilting,
Tournaments, Running
at the Ring, &c.

Feather-bed-lane, any
bad Road, but particu­
larly that betwixt Dun­
church and Daintrie. He
has a Feather in his Cap,
a Periphrasis for a Fool.
Play with a Feather, of
things that are game­
som and full of Play,
as Kittens and Kids. To
Feather his Nest, to en­
rich himself by indirect
means, or at the Expense



of others. Fine Feathers
make fine Birds. Gay
Cloaths make fine Folks.

Feble, the narrowest
part of the Sword-blade,
nearest the Point.

Feinting, or Falsifying,  
to deceive the Adver­
sary, by pretending to
thrust in one Place, and
really doing it an ano­
ther.

Fence, c. to Spend or
Lay out. Fence his Hog, c.
to Spend his Shilling.
A Fence, c. a Receiver
and Securer of Stolen-­
goods.

Fencing Cully, c. a Bro­
ker, or Receiver of Sto­
len-goods.

Fencing-ken, c. the
Magazine, or Ware-­
house, where Stolen-­
goods are secured.

Ferme, c. a Hole.

Fermerly Beggers, c.
all those that have not
the Sham-sores or Cley­
mes.

Ferret, c. a Trades­
man that sells Goods to
young Unthrifts, upon
Trust at excessive Rates.

Ferreted, c. Cheated;
also driven out of Holes
and lurking Places, and
hunted as Conies by a
little, Fierce, red-eyed
Beast. Hence Ferret-eyed:
or Eyes as red as a
Ferret.

Fetch, a Trick or
Wheedle. A meer Fetch,
that is far fetched, or
brought in by Head and
Shoulders.

Fetids, Vegetables, or
Animals, rank and
strong-scented; as Gar­
lick, Assa foetida, &c.
Pole-cats, Foxes, Goats,
&c.

Fewmets, Deers Ex­
crements.


F I

Fib, c. to beat; also
a little Lie.

Fib the Cove's quar­
rons in the Rum-pad, for
the Lour in his Bung, c.
Beat the Man in the
High-way lustily for
the Money in his Purse.

Fickle, mutable, or
changeable, of many



Minds in a short time

Fiddle, c. a Writ to
Arrest.

Fiddle-faddle, meer
silly Stuff, or Nonsense;
Idle, Vain Discourse.

Fidlers-pay, Thanks
and Wine.

Filch, c. to Steal.

Filchers, c. Thieves,
Robbers. A good Filch,
c. a Staff, of Ash or
Hazel, with a Hole
through, and a Spike
at the bottom, to pluck
Cloathes from a Hedge
or anything out of a
Casement.

Filching-cove, c. a Man-thief.

Filching-mort, c. a Wo­
man-thief.

File, c. to Rob, or
Cheat. The File, c. a
Pick-pocket.

Fine-mouth'd, nice,
dainty.

Finical, spruce, neat.

Finify, to trick up,
or dress sprucely.

Fire-drakes, Men with
a Phenix for their Badge,
in Livery, and Pay from
the Insurance-Office, to
extinguish Fires, cover­
ing their Heads with
an Iron-pot or Head-­
piece; also a Fiery Me­
teor, being a great une­
qual Exhalation infla­
med between a Hot and
a Cold Cloud.

Fire-ship, a Pockey
Whore.

Fire-side, a Health to
the Wife and Chil­
dren.

Firkin of foul Stuff, a
very Homely coarse
corpulent Woman.

Fishing Bill, in Chance­
ry, to make what Dis­
coveries may be. Who
Cries Stinking Fish? or
who dispraises his own
Ware? Good Fish when it
is Caught, of what is not
got so soon as reckoned
upon. All is Fish that
comes to Net, of him that
flies boldly at all Game.
I have other Fish to Fry,
I am otherwise taken
up, engag'd, or have
other Business on my
Hands.

Fixen, a froward, pee­



vish, Child; also a She-­
Fox.

Fizzle, a little or low-­
sounding Fart.


F L

Flabby, flimsy, not
sound, firm or solid.

Flagg, c. A Groat;
also a coarse rough
Stone us'd in Paving.
To Flagg, to fall off,
droop, decline, or fail;
also to suspend or let
fall a Suit or Prosecuti­
on. The Flag of Defi­
ance is out, (among the
Tarrs) the Fellow's Face
is very Red, and he is
Drunk.

Flam, a Trick, or
Sham-story.

Flanderkin, a very
large Fat Man or Horse;
also Natives of that
Country.

Flanders-fortunes, of
small Substance.

Flanders-pieces, Pictures
that look fair at a dist­
ance, but coarser near
at Hand.

Flapdragon, a Clap or
Pox.

Flare, to Shine or
glare like a Comet or
Beacon.

Flash, c. a Periwig.
Rum Flash, c. a long, full,
high-priz'd Wig. Queer
Flash, c. a sorry wea­
ther-beaten Wig, not
worth Stealing, fit only
to put on a Pole or dress
a Scare-Crow. Flash-­
ken, c. a House where
Thieves use, and are
connived at.

Flasque, a Bottle (or
it's resemblance) of
Sand, bound about with
Iron, into which the
melted Metal is by
Coyners and others pour­
ed; also a Pottle or five
Pints and half, that
quantity, formerly of
Florence, now of any
Wine. A Box for Gun-­
powder; a Carriage for
Ordinance; an Arch-­
line somewhat distant
from the corner of the
Chief, and swelling by
degrees toward the mid­
dle of the Escutcheon.



Flat, dead Drink; al­
so dull Poetry or Dis­
course.

Flavour, Scent of Fruits;
as Peaches, Quinces, &c.
Or of Wines, as Rhe­
nish, Canary, &c.

Flaunting, tearing-fine.
To Flaunt it, to Spark
it, or Gallant it.

Flaw, a water-flaw
and a crack in Crystals,
as well as a speck in
Gemms and Stones.

Flaw'd, c. Drunk.

Flay, to flea or skinn.
He'll flay a Flint, of a
meer Scrat or Miser.

Flear, to grinn. A
Flearing Fool, a grinning
silly Fellow.

Fleece, to Rob, Plun­
der or Strip; also Wooll,
the true Golden-Fleece
of England, a clear
Spring, or Flowing Foun­
tain of Wealth.

Fleet, swift of Wing
or Foot, in flight or
Course, used not only
of Birds upon the Wing,
but of winged Arrows,
resembling them in
Flight.

Flegmatic, dull, heavy.
A Flegmatic Fellow, a
drowsy insipid Tool, an
ill Companion.

Flesh-broker, a Match-­
maker; also a Bawd;
between whom but lit­
tle difference, for they
both (usually) take
Money.

Flibustiers, West-In­
dian Pirates, or Bucka­
neers, Free-booters.

Flicker, c. a Drink­
ing Glass. Flicker snapt, c.
the Glass is broken. Nim
the Flicker, c. Steal the
Glass. Rum Flicker, c.
a large Glass or Rum­
mer. Queer Flicker, c.
a Green or ordinary
Glass. To Flicker, to
grin or flout: Flick­
ering, grinning or laugh­
ing in a Man's Face.

Flicking, c. to cut,
cutting.

Flick me some Panam
and Cash, c. cut me
some Bread and Cheese.

Flick the Peeter, c. cut
off the Cloak-bag or
Port-manteau.

Flip, Sea Drink, of



small Beer. (chiefly)
and Brandy, sweetned
and Spiced upon occa­
sion: A Kan of Sir. Clous­
ly, is among the Tarrs,
a Kan of choice Flip,
with a Lemon squeez'd
in, and the Pill hung
round.

Flippant, pert and full
of Prattle.

Flimsy, flabby, not firm,
sound or solid.

Flocks and Herds, 
Flocks are of lesser Cat­
tel, Herds are of Black
Cattle, a Flock of Sheep
or Goats, and some­
times of Birds, as Pid­
geons; and in Imitation
of the Gregarious Crea­
tures, Men, that are
sociable, are said to
follow and flock after
one another as Sheep,
or to flock together to
see Shows and Specta­
cles.

Flog, c. to Whip.

Flog'd, c. severely Lasht.

Flogging-cove, c. the
Beadle or Whipper in
Bridewell, or any such
Place.

Flogging-stake, c. a
Whipping-post.

Flog'd at the Tumbler, 
c. Whipt at the Cart's
Arse.

Flogging, c. a Naked Wo­
man's whipping (with
Rods) an Old (usu­
ally) and (sometimes)
a Young Lecher. As
the Prancer drew the
Queer Cove, at the crop­
ping of the Rotan, the
Rum Pads of the Rum
vile, and was Flogg'd by
the Rum Cove, c. the
Rogue was dragg'd at
the Cart's tail through
the chief Streets of London,
and was soundly Whipt
by the Hangman.

Florence, a Wench
that is touz'd and ruff­
led.

Florentine, a made
Dish of Minced Meats,
Currans, Spice, Eggs,
&c. Bak'd.

Flounce, to toss, to
fling and flounce, to fling
and toss.

Flummery, a cleans­



ing Dish made of Oat­
meal boyl'd in Water
to a kind of Jelly or
Consistence and strain­
ed.

Flush in the Pocket, c. full
of Money. The Cull is
flush in the Fob, the Spark's
Pocket is well Lined
with Money. Flushing
in the Face, a frequent
redning, occasion'd by
a sudden Question, sur­
prize, and also from a
distemper'd Liver.

Flustered, Drunk.

Flute, c. the Recorder
of London, or of any
other Town.

Flutter, or Flie low,
anciently to Flitter, hence
a Flitter-mouse or Bat;
as much as to say, a Fly­
ing Mouse, as an Owl is
a Flying-Cat.

Flyers, c. Shoes.

Flying-Camps, Beggers
plying in Bodies at Fu­
nerals.


F O

Fob, c. a cheat, trick;
also a little Pocket.

Fob off, slyly to cheat
or deceive.

Fogus, c. Tobacco.
Tip me a gage of Fogus, c.
give me a Pipe of To­
bacco.

Foiling, the Footing of
Deer on the Grass,
scarce seen.

Folks, the Servants, or
ordinary People, as
Country-folks, Harvest-­
Folks, Work-folks, &c.
The Folks Bread or Pud­
ding, for the coarsest
Bread or Pudding.

Fool's Coat, or Colours,
a Motley or incon­
gruous Colours too near
a Kin to match, as
Red and Yellow, which
is the Fool's Coat with
us, as Blew and Green
is with the French. A
Fool's-Coat, a Tulip so
called, striped with Red
and Yellow.

Fools-cap, a sort of
Paper so called.

Footman's Maund, c.
an artificial Sore made
with unslack'd Lime,
Soap and the Rust of
old Iron, on the Back



of a Begger's hand, as if
hurt by the bite or kick
of a Horse.

Foot-pad, c. see Low-­
pad, for one Foot in the
Grave, a Pariphrasis an
old Man. He has the
length of his Foot.

Fop, Foppish, one that
is singular or affected in
Dress, Gestures, &c.

Foplin, the same, on­
ly younger.

Forebode, to presage,
betoken or fore-show.

Foreboding-signs, tokens,
Presages of ill Luck; as
spilling of the Salt, a Hare's
crossing the Way; Croaking
of Ravens; Screaking of
Screach-Owls. Or of ill
Weather, either natural
Signs or artificial; as,
Aches, Corns, Cry of
a Peacock, Water-galls,
Weather-Glasses, &c.

Forecast, contrivance
or laying a design. Pre­
caution, or the Wisdom
of Prevention, which is
beyond the Wisdom of
Remedy. To Forecast,
to contrive or digest
Matters for Execution.

Foreman of the Jury, 
he that engrosses all
the Talk to himself.

Forestall, to antedate
or anticipate.

Fork, c. a Pick-pocket.
Let's fork him, c. let us
Pick that Man's Pocket,
the newest and most
dextrous way: It is,
to thrust the Fingers,
strait, stiff, open, and
very quick into the
Pocket, and so closing
them, hook what can
be held between them.

Fork is often Rakes
Heir, or after a scraping
Father comes a scatter­
ing Son.

Forlorn-hope, c. losing
Gamesters; also in ano­
ther Sense, a Party of
Soldiers, &c. put upon
the most desperate Ser­
vice.

Fort, the broad Part
of the Sword-blade near­
est to the Hilt.

Fortune, a rich Maid,
or wealthy Widdow, an
Heiress.

Fortune-hunters, Pur­
suers of such to obtain



them in Marriage. A
Creature of Fortune, one
that Lives by his Wits.
A Soldier of Fortune, the
Heir of his own Right-­
hand as the Spaniards
call him. A Gamester of
Fortune, one that Lives
by shaking his Elbow.
He has made his Fortune,
he has got a good E­
state.

Fortune-Tellers, c. the
Judges of Life and Death,
so called by the Canting
Crew: Also Astrologers,
Physiognomists, Chiroman­
cers, &c.

Founder'd horse, Lame.

Founder'd ship at sea, 
that sprung
a Leak and
Sunk down­
right.

Foundling, a Child
dropt in the Streets for
the Parish (the most a­
ble) to keep.

Foul Jade, an ordinary
coarse Woman.

Foul Wine, when it
stinks; also when unfine,
or Lees flying in the
Glass.

Fox, the second Year;
also a sharp cunning
Fellow. Fox'd, Drunk.
He has caught a Fox, he
is very Drunk. An old
Fox, after the second
Year; also an subtil old
Fellow; also an old
broad Sword. A Fox-­
blade, a Sword-blade
with a Fox (or some­
thing like it) Grav'd on
it, esteem'd good Me­
tal.

Foxkennelleth, Lodg­
eth.

Foy, a farewell or tak­
ing leave, usually a Part­
ing-glass. To Pay his
Foy, to make his Friends
Merry, before he leaves
them.

Foyl-cloy, c. a Pick-­
pocket, a Thief, a Rogue.

Foyst, c. a Cheat a
Rogue; also a close
strong Stink, without
Noise or Report.


F R

Fraters, c. the eighth Or­
der of Canters, such as
Beg with a Sham-pa­



tents or Briefs for Spitals,
Prisons, Fires, &c.

Fray, an Encounter
or Disorder. Better come
at the latter end of a Feast,
than the beginning of a Fray.
To Fray, to scare or
frighten; also to break
or crack in wearing.
Hence frail, brittle or
soon broke; and when
Deer rub and push their
Heads against Trees to
get the pells of their new
Horns off.

Freak, a Whim or
Maggot.

Freakish, Fantastic,
Whimsical, Capricious.

Freameth, see Wild
Boar.

Free-booters, Lawless
Robbers, and Plunderers;
also Soldiers serving for
that Privilege without
Pay, and Inroaders.

Freeholder, he whose
Wife goes with him to
the Ale-house; also he
that has to the Value of
Fourty Shillings (or
more) a Year in Land.

Freeze, a thin, small,
hard Cyder much us'd
by Vintners and Coo­
pers in parting their
Wines, to lower the
Price of them, and to
advance their Gain.

French Gout, the Pox.
A blow with a French
Faggot-Stick, when the
Nose is fallen by the
Pox.

Frenchified, in the
French Interest or Mode;
also Clapt or Poxt.

Fresh-man, a Novice, in
the University.

Fresh-water-seamen, that
have never been on the
Salt, or made any Voyage,
meer Land-men.

Fret, to fume or chafe;
also Wine in ferment­
ing is said to be upon
the Fret.

Fricassee, any Fried
Meats, but chiefly of
Rabbets.

Friggat well rigg'd, 
a Woman well Drest
and Gentile.

Frigid, a weak disa­
bled Husband, cold, im­
potent.

Frippery, old Clothes.



Froe, c. for Urowe,
(Dutch) a Wife, Mi­
stress, or Whore. Brush to
your Froe, (or Bloss,) and
wheedle for Crap, c. whip
to your Mistress and
speak her fair to give, or
lend you some Money.

Frog-landers, Dutch-­
men.

Frolicks, lewd or mer­
ry Pranks, pleasant Ram­
bles, and mad Vaga­
ries.

Frummagem'd, c. choak­
ed,

Frump, a dry Bob,
or Jest.


F U

Fuants, Excrements
of all Vermin.

Fubbs, a loving, fond
Word used to pretty lit­
tle Children and Wo­
men; also the Name of
a Yacht.

Fuddle, Drink. This
is Rum fuddle. c. this
is excellent Tipple.

Fuddle-cap, a Drunk­
ard.

Fulsom, is a Nauseous
sort of Excess; as ful­
som fat, loathsom fat, or
fat to loathing. Fulsom
flattery, nauseous or gross
Flattery laid on too
think; as Embroidery
too thick Laid on is
dawbing with Gold or
Silver-lace.

Fumbler, an unperform­
ing Husband, one that is
insufficient, a weak
Brother.

Fumblers-Hall, the Place
where such are to be
put for their Nonper­
formance.

Fun, c. a Cheat, or
slippery Trick; also an
Arse. What do you fun
me? Do you think to
Sharp or Trick me? I'll
Kick your Fun, c. I'll Kick
your Arse. He put the
Fun upon the Cull, c. he
sharp'd the Fellow. I
Funn'd him, c. I was too
hard for him, I out-wit­
t'd or rook'd him.

Fund, or Fond, a
Bank, or Stock or Ex­
chequer of Money, or
Moneys worth; also a
Bottom or Foundation.



A Staunch Fund, a good
Security.

Funk, c. Tobacco Smoak;
also a strong Smell or
Stink. What a Funk here
is? What a think Smoak
of Tobacco is here!
Here's a damn'd Funk,
here's a great Stink.

Furnish up, to Scrub-up,
to Scowre, or Refresh
old Armour, &c. He is
mightly Furnish'd-up on a
suddain, when a Man not
accustom'd to wear fine
Cloaths, gets a good
Suit on his Back.

Fur-men, c. Aldermen.

Fussocks, a meer Fus­
socks, a Lazy Fat-Ars'd
Wench. A Fat Fussocks,
a Flusom, Fat, Straping
Woman.

Fustian-verse, Verse in
Words of lofty Sound,
and humble Sense.

Fustiluggs, a Fulsom,
Beastly, Nasty Woman.


G A

Gad up and down, to
Fidle and Fisk, to run a
Gossiping.

Gadding Gossips, way-­
going Women, Fidging
and Fisking every where.
A Gad of Steel.

Gag, c. to put Iron-­
pinns into the Mouths
of the Robbed, to hin­
der them Crying out.

Gage, c. a Pot or Pipe.
Tip me a Gage, c. give
me a Pot or Pipe, or
Hand hither, the Pot, or
Pipe.

Gallant, a very fine
Man; also a Man of
Metal, or a brave Fel­
low; also one that
Courts or keeps, or is
Kept by a Mistress. Gal­
lant a Fan, to break it
with Design, or Pur­
pose to have the Oppor­
tunity and Favour to
Present a better.

Gambals, Christmas
Gamballs, merry Fro­
licks or Pranks.

Game, c. Bubbles
drawn in to be cheated;
also at a Bawdy-house,
Lewd Women. Have
ye any Game Mother? Have
you any Whores Mistress
Baw'd; and in another



Sense. What you game
me? c. do you jeer me,
or pretend to expose me,
to make a May-game of
me.

Gamesome, Wanton,
Frolicksom, Playful.

Gan, c. a Mouth.

Ganns, c. the Lipps.Not found in OED.

Gang, an ill Knot or
Crew of Thieves, Pick-­
pockets, or Miscreants;
also a Society of Porters
under a Regulation, and
to go.

Gape-seed, whatever
the gazing Crowd idly
stares and gapes after;
as Puppet-shows, Rope-­
dancers, Monsters, and
Mountebanks, any thing
to feed the Eye.

Garish, gaudy, taw­
dry, bedawbed with
Lace, or all bedeck't
with mismatcht, or sta­
ring Colours.

Garnish-money, what
is customarily spent a­
mong the Prisoners at
first coming in.

Gaume, see Paume.

Gaunt, lank, thin, hol­
low.


G E

Gears, Rigging or Ac­
coutrements, Head-gear
the Linnen or dress of
the Head. In his Gears,
ready Rigg'd or Drest.
Out of his Gears, out of
Kelter, or out of sorts.
It wont Gee, it won't
Hit, or go.

Gelt, c. Money. There
is no Gelt to be got, c.
Trading is very Dead.

Gentry-cove, c. a Gen­
tle-man.

Gentry-cove-ken, c. a
Nobleman's or Gentle-­
man's House.

Gentry-mort, c. a Gen­
tlewoman.

George, c. a half Crown
piece. He tipt me Forty
Georges for my Earnest, c.
he paid me Five Pounds
for my Share or Snack.


G I

Gibbrish, the Canting
Tongue, or Jargon.



Gig, c. a Nose; also
a Woman's Privities. Sni­
chel the Gig, c. Fillip the
Fellow on the Nose. A
young Gig, a wanton Lass.

Gigger, c. a Door. Dub
the Gigger, c. open the
Door with the Pick-lock
that we may go in and
Rob the House.

Giglers, c. wanton
Women. Gigling, Laugh­
ing loud and long.

Gill, a Quartern (of
Brandy, Wine, &c);
also a homely Woman.
Every Jack must have
his Gill. There's not so
Ord'nary a Gill, but there's
as Sorry a Jack. Gill-ale,
Physic-ale.

Gillflurt, a proud,
Minks.

Gilt, c. a Pick-­
lock; also a Slut or
light Housewife.See OED "gilt," n.3, 2.

Gimcrack, a spruce
Wench; also a Bauble
or Toy.

Ginger-bread, Money.

Gingerly, gently, soft­
ly, easily.

Gin, a snare or nooze,
to catch Birds, as a Spring
is to catch Hares.

Gingumbobs, Toies or
Baubles.

Ginny, c. an Instru­
ment to lift up a Grate,
the better to Steal what
is in the Window.

Gipp, to cure or cle­
anse Herrings in order
to Pickling.

Girds, Taunts, Quips,
Gibes or Jeers. Bitter Girds,
Biting sharp Reflections.
Under his Girdle, within
his Power, or at his Beck.
If you are angry, you may
turn the Buckle of your
Girdle be hind you, to
one Angry for a small
Matter, and whose An­
ger is as little valued.See OED "gird," n.2, 4.

Give Nature a Fillip, 
to Debauch a little now
and then with Women,
or Wine.


G L

Glade, Shade.

Glance of an Eye, a
Cast of the Eye; at the
first Glance, at a Brush,
or at the first Cast.

Glanders, filthy yel­
low Snot at (Horses)



Noses, caught from
Cold.

Glare, a Glister; also
the weak Light of a
Comet, Candle, or
Glow-worm. To Glare,
or blaze like a Comet,
or Candle. Hence Glore,
as Pottage Glore, or Shine
with Fat.

Glaive, a Bill or
Sword.

Glaver, to Fawn and
Flatter. A Glavering
Fellow, a False Flatter­
ing Fellow.

Glaze, c. the Win­
dow.

Glazier, c. one that
creeps in at Casements,
or unrips Glass-win­
dows to Filch and Steal.

Glaziers, c. Eyes. The
Cove has Rum Glaziers,
c. that Rogue has ex­
cellent Eyes, or an Eye
like a Cat.

Glee, Mirth, Pastime.

Gleam, a weak or wa­
terish Light; hence a
Glimmering or Twink­
ling of a Star.

Glib, Smooth, with­
out a Rub. Glib tongued
Voluble, ready or Nim­
ble tongued.

Glim, c. a Dark-Lan­
thorn used in Robbing
Houses; also to burn in
the Hand. As the Cull
was Glimm'd, he gangs to
the Nubb, c. if the Fel­
low has been Burnt in
the Hand, he'll be
Hang'd now.

Glimfenders, c. And­
irons. Rum Glimfenders,
Silver Andirons.

Glimflashy, c. angry
or in a Passion. The
Cull is Glimflashy, c. the
Fellow is in a Heat.

Glimmer, c. Fire.

Glimjack, c. a Link-­
boy.

Glimmerer, c. the Twen­
ty second Rank of the
Canting Tribe, begging
with Sham Licences,
pretending to Losses by
Fire, &c.

Glimstick, c. a Candle­
stick. Rum Glimsticks, c.
Silver Candlesticks. Queer
Glimsticks, c. Brass, Pew­
ter or Iron Candlesticks.

Glow, either to Shine
or be Warm, as Glow-­



worm from the first, and
glowing of the Cheeks, or
glowing of Fire, with re­
lation to the last.


G O

Goads, c. those that
Wheedle in Chapmen
for Horse-courses.

Goalers-Coach, a Hur­
dle.

Goat, a Lecher, or
very Lascivious Person.

Goatish, Lecherous,
Wanton, Lustful.

Gob, c. the Mouth;
also a Bit or Morsel.
hence Gobbets, now more
in use for little Bits; as
a Chop of Meat is a good
Cut. Gift of the Gob, a
wide, open Mouth; al­
so a good Songster, or
Singing-master.

God's Penny, Earnest
Money, to bind a Bar­
gain.

Gold-droppers, Sweet­
ners, Cheats, Sharpers.

Going upon the Dub, c.
Breaking a House with
Picklocks.

Gold-finch, c. he that has
alwaies a Purse or Cod
of Gold in his Fob.

Gold-finders, Emptiers of
Jakes or Houses of Of­
fice.

Good Fellow, a Pot-com­
panion or Friend of the
Bottle.

Goose, or Goose-cap, a
Fool. Find fault with a
Fat Goose, or without a
Cause. Go Shoe the Goose.
Fie upon Pride when Geese
go Bare-legg'd. He'll be a
Man among Geese when
the Gander is gone, or a
Man before his Mother.
A Tayler's Goose Roasted,
a Red-hot smoothing
Iron, to Close the Seams.
Hot and heavy like a Tay­
ler's Goose, may be appli­
ed to a Passionate Cox­
comb.

Goree, c. Money, but
chiefly Gold.

Gossips, the Godfathers
and Godmothers at
Christnings; also those
that are noted for.

Gossiping, much Idle
Prating, and Tittle Tat­
tle.




G R

Graces, or Ornaments
of Speech. With a good
Grace, what is Becom­
ing, Agreeable. With an Ill
Grace, what is Unbe­
coming or Disagreeable.

Grafted, made a Cuck­
old of.

Grannam, c. Corn.Sense not found in OED.

Grannam-gold, old
Hoarded Coin.

Granny, an old Wo­
man; also a Grandmo­
ther.

Grapple, to close in
Fisticuffs or Fighting,
Oppos'd to Combating
at Arms-end; also a
fastning of Ships toge­
ther in an Engagement
with Grappling Irons, a
kind of Anchors (or
resembling them) with
four Flooks and no
Stock.

Grasp, to Catch and
Holdfast or press with
the close Fist.

Grating, hard Sounds,
disagreeable, shocking
and Offensive to the
Ear.

Great Buck, the Sixth
Year.

Great Hare, the Third
Year and afterwards.

Gratings, the che­
quer'd work clapt on the
Deck of a Ship to let
in the Light and Air.

Green-bag, a Lawyer.

Green gown, a throw­
ing of young Lasses on
the Grass and Kissing
them.See OED "green," a. and n., 1.g..

Green head, a very raw
Novice, or unexperi­
enc'd Fellow.

Greshamite, a Virtuo­
so, or Member of the
Royal Society.

Grig, c. a Farthing;
also a very small Eel. A
merry Grig, a merry Fel­
low. Not a Grig did he
tip me, c. not a Farthing
wou'd he give me.

Grilliade, any Broild
Meats, Fish or Flesh.

Grimaces, Mops and
Mows, or making of
Faces.

Grim, Stern, Fierce,
Surly.



Grinders, c. Teeth.
The Cove has Rum Grin­
ders, c. the Rogue has
excellent Teeth.

Gripe or Griper, an
old Covetous Wretch;
also a Banker, Money
Scrivener, or Usurer.

Griping, is an Epithet
commonly affixed either
to the Exactions of Op­
pressive Governors, or
to the Extortions of
Usurers; Griping Usu­
rers, and griping Usury
being as ordinary in
English as Usura vorax
in Latin.

Griskins, Steaks off
the Rump of Beef; also
Pork-bones with some
tho' not much Flesh on
them, accounted very
sweet Meat Broyled.

Gropers, c. blind Men.

Grotesque, a wild sort
of Painting mostly us'd
for Banquetting or Sum­
mer-houses.

Grounds, Unscented
Hair Powder, made
of Starch, or Rice. see
Alabaster.

Grownd sweat, a Grave.

Growse, Heath-polts.

Growneth, the Noise
a Buck makes at Rutting
Time.

Groyne, corruptly by
the Tarrs for Coronna,
a Seaport of Galacia in
Spain.

Grubstreet-News, false,
Forg'd.

Grum, the same as
Grim, Stern or Fierce.

Grumbletonians, Male­
contents, out of Hum­
our with the Govern­
ment, for want of a
Place, or having lost
one.

Grumbling of the Giz­
zard, Murmuring, Mut­
tering, Repining, Re­
senting.

Grunter, c. a Sucking
Pig.

Grunting Cheat, c. a
Pig.

Grunting Peeck, c. Pork."peck" is uncertain.


G U

Guard, of old Safe­
guard, now shortned
into Guard, either for
State, as Princes have
their Guards, or for Se­
curity so Prisoners have
theirs; also the Shell of



a Sword; and the best
Posture of Defence.

Gugaws, Toies, Tri­
fles.

Gull, c. a Cheat.

Gull'd, c. Cheated,
Rookt, Sharpt.

Gullet, a Derisory
Term for the Throat,
from Gula.

Gull-gropers, c. a By-­
stander that Lends Mo­
ney to the Gamesters.

Gundigutts, a fat pur­
sy Fellow. In the Gun,
Drunk. As sure as a gun,
or Cock-sure. Out of Gun­
shot; aloof from Dan­
ger, or out of Harm's
way.Not found in OED.

Gun-powder, an old
Woman.

Gust or Gusto, a right
Relish, Savour, or true
Taste of any thing. A
Delicious Gusto, Wines,
Fruits, or Meats of a
curious or pleasant Taste.
A Gust of Wind, a short,
sudden, furious Blast,
as we say a Dash of Rain,
for a sudden, short, im­
petuous Beat of Rain.

Guzzle, Drink.

Guzzling, Drinking
much.

Gut-foundred, exceed­
ing Hungry.

Gutling, Eating much.
A Gutling Fellow, a great
Eater.

Gutter-Lane, the
Throat.

Gutters, the little streak
in a Deer's Beam.

Gutting,
An House, Rif­
ling it, Clear­
ing it.
An Oyster, Eat­
ing it.

Gutts, a very fat, gross
Person.


G Y

Gybe, c. any Writing
or Pass Sealed; also
Jerk or Jeer.

Gyb'd, c. Jerkt or
Whipt.

Gybing, jeering.

Gypsies, a Counterfeit
Brood of wandering
Rogues and Wenches,
herding together, and
Living promiscuously, or
in common, under
Hedges and in Barns,



Disguising themselves
with Blacking their
Faces and Bodies, and
wearing an Antick Dress,
as well as Devising a
particular Cant, Stroll­
ing up and down, and
under colour of Fortune-­
telling, Palmestry, Physi­
ognomy, and Cure of
Diseases; impose all­
waies upon the unthink­
ing Vulgar, and often
Steal from them, what­
ever is not too Hot for
their Fingers, or too
Heavy to carry off. A
Cunning Gypsy, a sharp,
sly Baggage, a Witty
Wench. As Tann'd as
a Gypsy, of a Gypsy-hue
or colour.

Gyrle, see Roe.


H A

Haberdasher of Nouns
and Pronouns, School­
master or Usher.

Hab-nab, at Aventure,
Unsight, Unseen, Hit
or Miss.

Hack, the Place where
the Hawk's meat is laid.


Hack and Hue, to Cut
in Pieces.

Hacks or Hackneys, 
hirelings. Hackney-whores,
Common Prostitutes.
Hackney-Horses, to be let
to any Body. Hackney-­
Scriblers, Poor Hirelings
Mercenary Writers.

Hackum, a c Fighting
Fellow, see Captain Hack­
um.

Haddums, The Spark
has been at Haddums, He
is Clapt, or Poxt.

Hag, an old Witch.

Hagged, Lean, Witch­
ed, Half-Starved.

Hagboat, a huge Ves­
sel for Bulk and Length,
Built chiefly to fetch
great Masts, &c.

Hagbut, a Hand-gun
Three quarters of a Yard
long.

Haggle, to run from
Shop to Shop, to stand
hard to save a Penny.
A Hagler, one that Buys
of the Country-Folks, and
Sells in the Market, and
goes from Door to
Door.

Halfbord, c. Six Pence.Not found in OED>



Half a Hog, c. Six Pence.

Half Seas over, almost
Drunk.

Hamlet, c. a High Con­
stable.

Hamper'd, caught in
a Nooze, entangled, or
embarassed in an intri­
cate Affair.

Handy, Dextrous.

Handy Blows, Fisty-­
cuffs.

Handcrafts, the Ma­
nual Arts or Mechanic
Trades. A great Two-­
handed Sword, a swinging
broad Sword. A great
Twohanded Fellow, a huge
swinging Fellow. Such
a thing fell into his Hand,
of one that improves a­
nother's Notion, Speech,
or Invention. He will
make a Hand of it, he
will make a Penny of it,
or make it turn to Ac­
count. They are Hand
and Glove, of Friends
or Camerades that are
Inseparable, and almost
to the same purpose.
Clove and Orange. Change
Hands, and change Luck,
or to Play your Cards in
another Hand. The same
Hand and Fair Play, when
they Play on without
changing Hands. Many
Hands make light Work.
You stand with your Hands
in your Pockets, to an
Idle Fellow that finds
nothing to do.

Hank, He has a Hank
upon him, or the Ascen­
dant over him.

Hanker after, to Long
or wish much for.

Hanktelo, a silly Fel­
low, a meer Cods-head.Not found in OED.

Hans-en-kelder, Jack
in the Box; the Child
in the Womb, or a
Health to it.

Hard Drink, that is very
Stale, or beginning to
Sower. Hard-drinking,
excessive Soking, or to­
pping aboundance. Hard
Bargain, a severe one.
Hard-favor'd, Ugly,
Homely. Hard Frost, a
Keen or Sharp one.
Hard Case, a severe or
deep Misfortune, or ill
Treatment. Hard Mast­
er or Dealer, a very near
one or close.



Hare, the second Year.
A great Hare, the third
Year. Leveret, the first
Year. To hold with the
Hare and run with the
Hound, or to keep fair
with both Parties at
once. Hare-lipp'd, Notcht
or turn'd up in the mid­
dle. Hare-sleep, with
Eies a'most open. Hared,
Hurried. Hare Seateth or
Formeth, the proper term
for the Place where she
Setts or Lies. A Hare
Beateth or Tappeth, makes
a noise at Rutting time.
He has swallow'd a Hare,
he is very Drunk.

Harking, Whispering
on one side to borrow
Money.

Harman, c. a Con­
stable.

Harmans, c. the Stocks.

Harman-beck, c. a Bea­
dle.

Harp-upon, a business,
to insist on it.

Harridan, c. one that
is half Whore, half
Bawd.

Hart, the Sixth Year.
A Stag, the fifth Year.
A Staggard, the fourth.
A Brock the third. A
Knobber, the second.
Hind Calf, or Calf, the
First.

Hart Harboureth, Lodg­
eth.

Hart Royal, having
been Hunted by a King
or Queen. Unharbour
the Hart, Dislodge him.
A Hart Belleth, maketh
a Noise at Rutting time.
A Hart goeth to Rut, the
Term for Copulation.

Hartfordshire-kindness,  
Drinking to the same
Man again.

Harthold or pretty Hear­
ty, of good Courage,
or pert Spirit.

Hasty, very Hot on
a sudden. The most Haste
the worst Speed, or Haste
makes Waste, of him that
loses a Business by hur­
rying of it. You are none
of the Hastings, of him
that loses an Opportuni­
ty or a Business for want
of Dispatch.

Hatchet-fac'd, Hard-­
favor'd, Homely. Un­



der the Hatches, in Trou­
ble, or in Prison.

Haut-bois, Oaks, Bea­
ches, Ashes, Poplars,
&c. Also well known
and pleasant Martial
Music.

Havock, Waste, Spoil.
They made sad Havock,
they Destroy'd all before
'em.

Hawk, c. a Sharper.

Hawkers, Retail News-­
Sellers.

Hawking, going about
Town and Country,
with Scotch-Cloth, &c.
or News-Papers; also
Spitting difficultly.

Hay, a separate En­
closure of Wood Land,
within a Forrest or Park,
Fenced with a Rail or
Hedge, or both. To
Dance the Hay. To make
Hay while the Sun Shines,
or make good use of
one's Time.

Hazy Weather, when it
is Think, Misty, Fog­
gy.

Hazle-geld, to Beat
any one with a Hazle-­
Stick or Plant.Not found in OED.


H E

Heady, strong Liquors
that immediately fly up
into the Noddle, and so
quickly make Drunk.

Headstrong, Stubborn,
Ungovernable. A Scald
Head is soon Broke.

Head-Bully of the Pass or
Passage Bank, c. the Top
Tilter of that Gang,
throughout the whole
Army, who Demands
and receives Contribu­
tion from all the Pass
Banks in the Camp.

Hearing-Cheats, c. Ears.

Hearts-ease, c. a Twent­
ty shilling piece; also an
ordinary sort of Strong
Water, and an Herb
called by some the Tri­
nity, by others, Three
Faces in a Hood, Live
in Idleness, Call me to
you, or Pansies, an ex­
cellent Antivenerean. &c.

Heathen Philosopher, a
sorry poor tatter'd Fel­
low, whose Breech may
be seen through his
Pocket-holes.



Heave, c. to Rob.

Heave a Bough, c. to
Rob a House.

Heaver, c. a Breast.

Heavy, is either gross in
Quantity or slow in Mo­
tion, because ordinari­
ly the one is not without
the other and therefore
we say, heavy Bodies move
slowly. A heavy Fellow,
a dull Blockish slug.

Hector, a Vaporing,
Swaggering Coward.

Hedge, to secure a des­
perate Bet, Wager or
Debt. By Hedge or by
Style, by Hook or by
Crook.

Hedge-bird, a Scoun­
drel or sorry Fellow.

Hedge-creeper, c. a
Robber of Hedges.

Hedge-grapes, very
Crabbed, wholly unfit
to make Wine.

Hedge-priest, a sorry
Hackney, Underling,
Illiterate Vagabond, see
Patrico.

Hedge-Tavern, or Ale-­
house, a Jilting, Sharp­
ing Tavern, or Blind
Ale house. It hangs in the
Hedge, of a Law-suit or
any thing else Depend­
ing, Undetermined. As
common as the Hedge, or
Highway, said of a
Prostitute or Strumpet.

Hell, the Place where
the Taylers lay up their
Cabbage, or Remnants,
which are sometimes
very Large.

Hell-born-babe, a
Lewd, Graceless, Noshy;
torious Youth.

Hell-cat, a very Lewd
Rakehelly Fellow.

Hell-driver, a Coach­
man.

Hell-hound, a Profli­
gate, Lewd Fellow.

Helter-skelter, Pell-­
mell.

Hempen-widdow, one
whose Husband was
Hang'd.

Hem, to call after one
with an inarticulate
Noise.

Hemuse, see Roe.

Hen-hearted, Coward­
ly, Fearful.

Hen-peckt Friggat, whose
Commander and Offi­
cers are absolutely



swayed by their Wives.

Henpeckt Husband, 
whose Wife wears the
Breeches.

Herd of Dear or Hares, 
a Company.


H I

Hick, c. any Person of
whom any Prey can be
made, or Booty taken
from; also a silly Coun­
try Fellow.

Hide-bound-horse, whose
Skin sticks very close,
and tite like a Pudding
Bag, usually when very
Fat.

Hide-bound-muse, Stiff,
hard of Delivery, Sir
J. Suckling call'd Ben
Johnson's so.

Higglede-piggledy, all
to gether, as Hoggs and
Piggs lie Nose in Arse.

High Flyers, Impudent,
Forward, Loose, Light
Women; also bold Ad­
venturers.

High shoon, or Clouted-­
shoon, a Country Clown.

High pad, c. a High­
way Robber well Moun­
ted and Armed.

Highjinks, a Play at
Dice who Drinks.

Hightetity, a Ramp or
Rude Girl.

High Tide, c. when the
Pocket is full of Money.

Hind, the Plough-boy
or Ploughman's Servant
at Plough and Cart.

Hinde, the third Year;
Hearse or Brockets Sister,
the second Year; Calf
the first Year.

Hip, upon the Hip, at
an Advantage, in Wrest­
ling or Business.

Hissing, the Note of
the Snake and the Goose,
the Quenching of Me­
tals in the Forge; also
upon any dislike at the
Play-house, and some­
times tho' seldom in the
Courts of Judicature,
upon any foul Proceed­
ings. The like is don,
also in other larger As­
semblies.


H O

Hob, a plain Country



Fellow; or Clown, also
the Back of a Chim­
ney.

Hobinal, the same.

Hobbist, a Disciple,
and fond Admirer of
Thomas Hobbs, the fam'd
Philosopher of Malms­
bury. Sir Posthumus Hob­
by, one that Draws on
his Breeches with a
Shoeing-Horn; also a
Fellow that is Nice
and Whimsical in the
set of his Cloaths.

Hob-nail, a Horse
Shoe-nail; also a High-­
shoon or Country Clown.

Hobsons-choice, That or
None.

Hocus-pocus, a Juggler
that shews Tricks by
Slight of Hand.

Hodge, a Country
Clown, also Roger.

Hodmendods, Snails in
their Shells.

Hodge-podge, see Hotch-­
potch.

Hog, c. a Shilling;
also see Wild Boar. You
Darkmans Budge, will you
Fence your Hog at the next
Boozing-ken, c. do ye
hear you House Cree­
per, will you Spend your
Shilling at the next Ale-­
house. A meer Hog or
Hoggish Fellow, a greedy,
covetous, morous Churl.
A Hog-grubber, a close-­
fisted, narrow-soul'd
sneaking Fellow. He
has brought his Hoggs to
a fair Market, or he has
Spun a fair Thread. Great
Cry and little Wooll, as
the Man said when he
Shear'd his Hoggs, La­
bour in Vain, which the
Latines express by Goats-­
wooll, as the English by
the shearing of Hoggs.
Hogg-steer, see Wild Boar.

Hogen-mogen, a Dutch
Man; also High and
Mighty, the Sovereign
States of Holland.

Hogo, for Haut Goust,
a strong Scent; also a
high Taste or Relish in
Sauce.

Hold his Nose to the
Grind-stone, to keep him
Under, or Tie him Neck
and Heels in a Bargain.

Hollow-hearted, False,



Base, Perfidious, Trea­
cherous.

Holyday-bowler, a very
bad Bowler. Holyday
Cloths, the Best. Blind
Man's Holyday, when it
is Night.

Hop-merchant, a Danc­
ing-master. To Hop, de­
notes the Progressive
Motion of Reptiles on
the Ground, whence
Grashopper, and Answers
to the Fluttring or low
Flight of Insects in the
Air; or Else the Tran­
sits or Leaps of a Bird
from one Perch to ano­
ther in a Cage, or the
Skips of a Squirrel from
Tree to Tree and Bough
to Bough in the Wood.

Homine, Indian Corn.
To beat Homine, to pound
that in a Mortar.

Honey-moon, the first
Month of Marriage.

Hood, the ancient
Cover for Men's Heads,
(before the Age of Bon­
nets and Hatts) being
of Cloath Button'd un­
der the Chin, not un­
like a Monk's Cowl. Two
Faces under one Hood, a
Double Dealer.

Hood wink'd, Blind-­
folded or Bluffed.

Hoof it, or beat it on
the Hoof, to walk on
Foot.

Hookt, over-reached,
Snapt, Trickt. Off the
Hooks, in an ill Mood,
or out of Humour. By
Hook or by Crook, by Fair
Means or Foul.

Hookers, c. the third
Rank of Canters; also
Sharpers.

Hopper-arst, when the
Breech sticks out.

Horn-mad, stark sta­
ring Mad because Cuck­
olded.

Horse-play, any rude
Boisterous sort of Sport.
You must not look a Given
Horse in the Mouth, or what
is freer than the Gift? One
Man may better Steal a
Horse than another look
on. The Master's Eye
makes the Horse Fat. An
ill Horse that can't carry h
is own Provender. Set
the Saddle on the Right
Horse, lay the Blame



where the Fault is. The
Cart before the Horse. A
short Horse is soon Curried,
a little Business is soon
Dispatched. The Gray
Mare is the better Horse,
said of one, whose
Wife wears the Breeches.
Fallen away from a Horse-­
load to a Cart-load, spok­
en Ironically of one
considerably improved
in Flesh on a sudden.

Host, an Inn-keeper or
Victualler; also an Ar­
my.

Hostess, a Lady-lady.
To reckon without
your Host: Or count your
Chickens before they are
Hatcht.

Hot, exceeding Pas­
sionate. Hot Work, much
Mischief done, or a great
Slaughter.

Hot-cockles, a Play a­
mong Children. It re­
vives the Cockles of my
Heart, said, of agreeable
News, or a Cup of
Comfort, Wine or Cor­
dial Water.

Hot Pot, Ale and Bran­
dy boyled together.

Hot Spur, a fiery furi­
ous passionate Fellow;
also early or forward
Peas.

Hotch-potch, an Oglio
or Medly of several
Meats in one Dish.

House of Call, the usual
lodging Place of Jour­
ney-men Tailers.

House Tailers, Uphol­
sterers.Not found in OED.

How, to a Deer.Not found in OED.

Howleth, the Noise a
Wolf maketh at Rutting
time.


H U

Hubbub, a Noise in
the Streets made by the
Rabble.

Huckster, a sharp Fel­
low. Hucksters, the Re­
tailers of the Market,
who Sell in the Market
at second Hand. In
Huckster's Hands, at a
desperate Pass, or Con­
dition, or in a fair way to be Lost.

Hue, c. to Lash; al­
so the Complexion or
Colour. Hued, c. Lasht
or Flogg'd. The Cove



was Hued in the Naskin,
c. the Rogue was severe­
ly Lashy in Bridewell. Hue
and Cry, the Country
rais'd after a Thief.

Huff, a Bullying Fel­
low. Captain Huff, any
noted Bully, or Huffing
Blade. To Huff and Ding,
to Bounce and Swag­
ger.

Hugger-mugger, Close­
ly or by Stealth, Under
board: To Eat so, that
is, to Eat by one's self.

Hulver-head, a silly
foolish Fellow.

Hum-cap, old, mellow
and very strong Beer.

Hum and haw, to He­
sitate in Speech; also
to delay, or difficultly
to be brought to Con­
sent.

Hummer, a loud Lie,
a Rapper.

Hum, or Humming
Liquor, Double Ale,
Stout, Pharoah.

Hummums, a Bag­
nio.

Humorist, a Whimsi­
cal Fantastical Fel­
low.

Hump-backt, Crook-­
backt. Hump-shoulder'd,
or Crook-shoulder'd.

Humptey-dumptey, Ale
boild with Brandy.

Hunch, to justle, or
thrust.

Hunks, a covetous
Creature, a miserable
Wretch.

Hunting, c. decoying
or drawing others into
Play.

Hunteth for his Kind, 
see Otter.

Hurly-burly, Rout,
Riot, Bustle, Confusion.

Hurrican, a violent
Storm or Tempest; al­
so a disorder or confusi­
on in Business.

Hurridun, see Harri­
dan.

Hush, very still, quiet.
All was Hush, a great or
profound Silence. Husht
up, concealed, or clapt
up without Noise.

Husky-lour, c. a Gui­
nea, or Job.Not found in OED.

Hussy, an abbreviati­
on of Housewife, and
sometimes a Term of
Reproch, as, how now



Hussy, or she is a Light
Hussy, or Housewife.

Hut, from; a Term
much us'd by Carters,
&c. Also, a little House
or slight Abode for Sol­
diers, Peasants, &c.

Huzza, Originally
the Cry of the Huzzars,
or Hungarian Horsemen;
but now the Shouts and
Acclamations, of any
Soldiers, or of the Mob.


J A

Jabber, to Talk thick
and fast, as great Pra­
ters do, or to Chatter
like a Magpye.

Jack, c. a Farthing,
a small Bowl (the mark)
to throw at an Instru­
ment to draw on Boots,
hence Jack-boots; also
a Leathern Vessel to
Drink out of and an
Engine to set the Spit a
going. Jack in an Of­
fice, of one that behaves
himself Imperiously in
it. Every Jack will have
a Gill, or the Coursest
He, will have as Coarse
a She. He wou'd n't tip me
Jack, c. not a Farthing
wou'd he give me.

Jack-adams, a Fool.

Jack-a-dandy, a little
impertinent insignificant
Fellow.

Jack Knob, c. the Hang-­
man of that Name, but
now all his Successors.

Jack in a Box, c. a
Sharper, or Cheat.

Jackanapes, a Term
of Reproach, a little
sorry Whipper-snapper;
also a well known wag­
gish Beast. As full of
Tricks as a Jackanapes.

Jack-sprat, a Dwarf,
or very little Fellow,
a Hop-on-my-­
thumb.

Jack at a Pinch, a poor
Hackney Parson.

Jack-hawk, the Male.

Jacobites, Zealous
Sticklers for the late King
James, and his Interest;
also sham or Collar Shirts,
and Hereticks Anno 530,
following one Jacobus
Syrus, who held but one
Will, Nature and Ope­



ration in Christ, Cir­
cumsion of both Sex­
es, &c.

Jade, a Terme of Re­
proch give to Women,
as Idle Jade, Lazy Jade,
silly Jade, &c. As dull
Jade, tried Jade, to a
heavy or over-ridden
Horse.

Jakes, a House of
Office.

Jague, c. a Ditch.Not found in OED.

Janizaries, formerly,
only the Grand Signior's
Foot Guard, chosen
out of Tributary Chris­
tians, taken early from
their Parents, and
perverted to Mahume­
tanism, ever accoun­
ted their best Sol­
diers; but now any
Prince's or great Man's
Guards; also the Mob
sometimes so called and
Bailives, Serjeants, Fo­
llowers, Yeomen, Setters,
and any lewd Gang de­
pending upon others.

Jarke, c. a Seal.

Jarke-men, c. the Four­
teenth Order of the
Canting Tribe; also
those who make Coun­
terfeit Licences and Pas­
ses, and are well paid
by the other Beggers
for their Pains.

Jarrs, Quarrels, Dis­
putes, Contentions.

Jason's Fleece, c. a Ci­
tizen cheated of his
Gold.

Jayl-birds, Prisoners.


I C

Ice-houses, Reposito­
ries to keep Ice and Snow
under Ground all Sum­
mer, as there are Con­
servatories to House
Orange-Trees, Limes,
and Myrtles in the Win­
ter. Break Ice in one place
and it will Crack in more,
or find out one slippery
Trick, and suspect a­
nother. When the Ice is
once broke, or when the
way is open others will
Follow. Ice or Icicles, little
pendulous pieces of Ice
under the Eaves.


I D

Idioms, Proprieties



of any Speech or Lan­
guage, Phrases or par­
ticular Expressions, pe­
culiar to each Language.

Idio-syncracies, peculiar
Constitutions, or Af­
fections, incident only
in particular to some
Temperaments, as se­
veral Sympathies and
Antipathies, as different
and unaccountable as
the Variety of Gifts
and Talents in Men.


J E

Jenny, c. an Instru­
ment to lift up a Grate,
and whip any thing out
of a Shop-window.

Jesses, short Strapps
of Leather fastned to
the Hawk's Leggs.

Jetting along, or out, 
a Man Dancing in his
Gate, or Going; also a
House starting out far­
ther than the rest in the
Row.

Jew, any over-reach­
ing Dealer, or hard,
sharp Fellow. He treated
me like a Jew, he
used me very barbarously.

Jews, Brokers behind
St. Clement's Church in
London, so called by
(their Brethren) the Tailers.


I G

Ignoramus, a Novice, or
raw Fellow in any Pro­
fession; also, we are Ig­
norant, written by the
Grand Jury upon Bills,
when the Evidence is
not Hom, and the Par­
ty (thereupon) Dis­
charg'd.


J I

Jig, a Trick; also a
well known Dance. A
Pleasant Jig, a witty,
arch Trick.

Jigget, (of Mutton)
the Leg cut off with
part of the Loin.

Jilt, a Tricking
Whore.

Jilted, abused by such
a one; also deceived
or defeated in one's
Expectation, especially
in Amours.



Jingling, the Noise of
Carriers Horses Bells,
or Ringing of Money
that chinks in the Poc­
ket.

Jingle-boxes, c. Lea­
thern Jacks tipt and hung
with Silver Bells former­
ly in use among Fuddle
caps.

Jinglers, c. Horse-­
Coursers frequenting
Country Fairs.

Jingle-brains, a Mag­
got-pated Fellow.

Jiniper-lecture, a round
scolding Bout.


I L

Ill fortune, c. a Nine-­
pence.

Ill-mann'd, a Hawk
not well broke, taught
or train'd.


I M

Impost-taker, c. one
that stands by and
Lends Money to the
Gamester at a very high
Interest or Premium.

Implement, Tool, a
Property or Fool, easily
engag'd in any (th' diffi­
cult or Dangerous) En­
terprize.

Importunate, Dunning,
pressing.

Importunity of Friends, 
the stale Excuse for com­
ing out in Print, when
Friends know nothing
of the Matter.


I N

Inadvertency, any slip
or false step, for want
of Thinking and Re­
flection.

Inching-in, Encroach­
ing upon. One of his
Inches, of his Size or
Stature. Won by Inches,
dearly or by little and
little. Give you an Inch
and you'll take an Ell, of
one that presumes much
on little Encouragement.

Incog, for Incognito,
a Man of Character or
Quality concealed or in
disguise.

Incongruous, or an In­
cogruity; Treating any
Person not according to



his Character, or ap­
pearing in any Country,
without conforming to
the Habits and Customs
of the Place, as teach­
ing a General the Art
of War, talking with
an Ambassador without
his Language, or the
help of an Interpreter,
moving the Hat to Tur­
ks, that never stirr
their Turbants; or cal­
ling for a Chair with
such Nations, as sit al­
waies cross-legg'd up­
on Carpets.

Indecorum, any viola­
tion of the Measures of
Conguity, in Story,
Painting, or Poetry, as
Introducing Persons to­
gether that are not Con­
temporaries, and of the
same Age, or represent­
ing them with Habits,
Arms or Inventions, un­
known to their Times,
as the Romans with
Gunns or Drumms,
which wou'd be no less
Preposterous and Ab­
surd than Painting the
Noblemen of Venice on
Horseback, or describ­
ing the West Indians be­
fore the Arrival of the
Spaniards, with the Ship­
ping, Horses, and Arms
of the Europeans.

Indulto, his Catholic
Majesty's Permission to
the Merchants to unlade
the Galeons, after his
Demands are adjusted.

In his Ale or Beer, 
Drunk, tho' it be by
having too much of that
in him.

Iniskilling-men, fam'd
for their Prowess in the
late Irish Wars; also the
Royal Regiment (of
Citizens) in derision so
called, soon rais'd, and
as soon laid down.Not found in OED.

Inke, the Neck from
the Head to the Body
of any Bird the Hawk
doth prey upon.

Inkle, Tape. As great
as two Inkle-makers, or
as great as Cup and
Cann.

Inlayed, well inlayed, at
ease in his Fortune, or
full of Money.

Inmates, Supernume­



raries, who have no
House or Being of their
own, and yet are no
Members of the House
or Family they Live in,
from whom they differ
in the same nature, as
the Execrescences of Trees
do from the Fruits either
Genuin or Grafted; as
Mistletoe of the Oak,
Galls, &c. differ from
the Mast or Acorns.

Insipids, Block-heads;
also things that are
tastless.

Interlopers, Hangers
on, retainers to, or de­
penders upon other folks;
also Medlers and Busy­
bodies, intruders into
other Men's Professions,
and those that intercept
the Trade of a Com­
pany, being not legally authorized.

Intrigues, Finesses,
Tricks of War, or State,
as Court-tricks, Law-­
quirks, tho' in War they
are rather called Strata­
gems.

Intriguing, Plotting,
Tricking, Designing, full
of Tricks and Subtil­
ties.

Inveterate, either Ene­
mies that are implaca­
ble and of long con­
tinuance, or Diseases
that are confirmed, deep-­
rooted and riveted.


J O

Joan, a homely Joan,
a Coarse Ord'nary Wo­
man, Joan in the Dark
is as good as my Lady, or
when the Candles are out
all Cats are Gray.

Job, c. a Guinea,
Twenty shillings, or a
Piece. Half a Job, c. half
a Guinea, Ten shillings,
half a Piece, or an An­
gel.

Jobbers, see Badgers,
Matchmakers, Salesmen,
Stock-jobbers.

Jobbernoll, c. a very
silly Fellow.

Jock or Jockumcloy, 
c. to copulate with a
Woman.

Jockum-gage, c. a
Chamberpot. Tip me the
Jockumgage, c. give me or



hand me the Member-­
mug. Rum Jockum-gage,
c. a Silver-chamberpot.Not found in OED.

Jockey's, rank Horse-­
Coursers, Race Riders;
also Hucksters or Sellers
of Horses, very slippery
Fellows to deal with.

Jolter-head, a vast large
Head; also Heavy and
Dull. To Jolt or Shake,
jolting or shaking of a
Coach.

Jordain, c. a great
Blow or Staff; also a
Chamberpot. I'll tip him
a Jordain if I transnear,
c. I will give a Blow
with my Staff if I get up
to him.

Joseph, c. a Cloak
or Coat. A Rum Joseph,
c. a good Cloak or
Coat. A Queer Joseph,
c. a coarse ord'nary
Cloak or Coat; also
an old or Tatter'd one.


I R

Irish Toyles, c. the
Twelfth Order of Can­
ters; also Rogues carry­
ing Pinns, Points, La­
ces, and such like Wares
about, and under pre­
tence of Selling them,
commit Thefts and Rob­
beries

Iron-doublet, a Prison.


I T

Itch-land, Wales.


J U

Jugglers, Nimble and
expert Fellows at Tricks,
and Slights of hand, to
distinguish them from
Tumblers, that perform
Bodily Feats, or Feats
of Activity, by play­
ing of Tricks with the
whole Body.

Juckrum, c. a License.Not found in OED.

Jumble-gut-lane, any
very bad or rough Road.
To Jumble, to shake
much or often.

Justice, I'll do Justice
Child, c. I will Peach
or rather Impeach or
Discover the whole
Gang, and so save my
own Bacon; also in a­



nother Sense, I'll do you
Justice Sir, I will Pledge
you.


K A

Kate, c. a Pick-lock.
'Tis a Rum Kate, c. that is
a Cleaver Pick-lock.Not found in OED.


K E

Keel-bullies, Lighter-­
men that carry Coals to
and from the Ships, so
called in Derision.

Keel-hale, to draw by
a Rope tied to the Neck
and fastned to a Tackle
(with a jerk) quite un­
der the Keel or bottom
of the Ship.

Keffal, a Horse.

Kelter, out of Kelter,
out of sorts.

Ken, c. a House. A
bob Ken, or a Bowman-­
ken, c. a good or well
Furnished House, full
of Booty, worth Rob­
bing, also a House that
Harbours Rogues and
Thievs. Biting the Ken,
c. Robbing the House.

Ken-miller, c. a House-­
breaker. Friend John,
or sweet Tom, 'tis a bob
Ken, Brush upon the
Sneak, c. 'tis a good
House, go in if you will
but Tread softly, and
mind your Business. Now
we have Bit, c. the
House is Robb'd, or the
Business is done. There's
a Cull knows us, if we
don't pike he'll Bone us, c.
that Fellow sees us, if
we don't scour off, he
will Apprehend us.
Ding him, c. Knock
him Down. Then we'll
pike, tis all Bowman, c.
we will be gone, all is
well, the Coast is clear.

Keeping-cully, one that
Maintains a Mistress,
and parts with his Mo­
ney very generously
to her.Not found in OED.


K I

Kicks, c. Breeches.
A high Kick, the top of
the Fashion; also singu­
larity therein. Tip us
your Kicks, we'll have
them as well as your



Loure, c. pull off your
Breeches, for we must
have them as well as
your Money.

Kid, c. a Child;
also the first Year of a
Roe, and a young
Goat.

Kidnapper, c. one that
Decoys or Spirits (as it
is commonly called)
Children away, and
Sells them for the Plan­
tations.

Kidder, c. see Crock­
er.

Kidlay, c. one who
meeting a Prentice with
a Bundle or Parcel of
Goods, wheedles him
by fair Words, and
whipping Sixpence into
his Hand, to step on a
short and sham Errand
for him, in the mean­
time Runs away with
the Goods.Not found in OED.

Kidney, (Beans) French
Of that Kidney, of such
a Stamp. Of a strange
Kidney, of an odd or
unaccountable Humour.

Kilkenny, c. an old
sorry Frize Coat.Not found in OED.

Kill-Devil, Rum. Kill
two Birds with one Stone,
Dispatch two Businesses
at one Stroak.

Kimbaw, c. to Trick,
Sharp, or Cheat; also
to Beat severely or to
Bully. Let's Kimbaw the
Cull, c. Let's Beat that Fel­
low, and get his Money
(by Huffing and Bully­
ing) from him.Not found in OED.

Kinchin, c. a little
Child.

Kinchin-coes, c. the
Sixteenth Rank of the
Canting Tribe, being
little Children whose
Parents are Dead, hav­
ing been Beggers; as
also young Ladds run­
ning from their Mast­
ers, who are first taught
Canting, then thieving.

Kinchin-cove, c. a lit­
tle Man.

King's Head Inn, or the
Chequer Inn in Newgate-­
street, c. the Prison, or Newgate.Not found as a headword or head-phrase in OED.

King's Pictures, c. Mo­
ney.Not found in OED.

King of all Beasts of
Venery, a Hare.



King of the Gypsies, the
Captain, Chief, or Ring-­
leader of the Gang, the
Master of Misrule.

Kindly, Fruit, or Sea­
son, towardly. Kindness
will creep where it can­
not go.

Kinchin-morts, c. the
Twenty seventh and last
Order of the Canting
Crew, being Girls of a
Year or two old, whom
the Morts (their Mo­
thers) carry at their
Backs in Slates (Sheets)
and if they have no
Children of their own,
they borrow or Steal
them from others.

Kissing the Maid, an
Engine in Scotland, and
at Halifax in England,
in which the Head of
the Malefactor is Laid
to be Cut off, and which
this way is done to a
Hair, said to be invent­
ed by Earl Morton who
had the ill Fate to
Handsel it. Kissing goes
by Favour, I suppose a­
nother sort is meant by
this Proverb than the
foremention'd.


K N

Knack, or Slight in
any Art, the Craft or
Mystery in any Trade,
a petty Artifice, or
Trick like those upon
the Cards. Knacks or
Toies, a Knack-shop, or
Toy-shop, freight with
pretty Devices to pick-­
Pockets.

Knave in Grain, one
of the First Rate. Kna­
ves and Fools are the Com­
position of the whole World.

Knight Errant, the
Knight or Hero in Ro­
mances, that alwaies is
to Beat the Giant, and
Rescue the destressed
Damsel.

Knight-Errantry, Ro­
mantick and Fabulous
Exploits, out of the
common Road, and
above the ordinary Size,
such as the wild Adven­
tures of wandering
Knights.

Knight of the Blade, c.
a Hector or Bully.



Knight of the Post, c.
a Mercenary common
Swearer, a Prostitute to
every cause, an Irish
Evidence.

Knight of the Road, c.
the chief High-wayman
best Mounted and Arm­
ed, the Stoutest Fellow
among them.

Knobber, see Hart.

Knock in the Cradle, 
a Fool.

Knock-down, very
strong Ale or Beer.

Knock off, to give over
Trading; also to A­
bandon or Quit one's
Post or Pretensions.

Knowledge is no Bur­
den. Knowledge makes one
laugh, but wealth makes
one dance.

Knot, a choice Bird,
something less than a
Ruff.

Knotting, making Fringe.


L A

Labour in vain, lost
Labour, such as washing
of Blackamoors, shearing
of Hoggs, hedging in
the Cuckoe, &c.

Laced,
Coffee, Sugar'd.
Mutton, a Woman.

Lacing, Beating, Drub­
bing. I'll Lace your Coat
Sirrah, I will Beat you
soundly.

Ladder, see Badger,
first Part.

Lady, a very crooked,
deformed and ill shapen
Woman.

Lady-birds, Light or
Lewd Women; also a
little Red Insect, varie­
gated with black Spots.

Lag, c. Water; also
Last.Not found in OED.

Lag-a dudds, c. a Buck
of Cloths. As we cloy
the Lag of Dudds, c. come
let us Steal that Buck of
Cloths. To Lagg behind,
or come after with Salt
and Spoons. Lagg of the
Flock, the Hindmost.

Lambaste, to Beat
soundly.

Lamb-pye, Beating or
Drubbing.

Lamb-skin-men, c. the
Judges of the several
Courts.



Lambs-wool, roasted
Apples and Ale.

Lame Excuse, a sorry
Shift or Evasion.

Land-lopers, or Land-­
lubbers, Fresh-water Sea-­
men so called by the
true Tarrs; also Vaga­
bonds that Beg and Steal
about the Country.

Land-pirates, c. High­
waymen or any other
Robbers.

Land-lord and Land-­
lady, Host and Hostess;
also Possessors of Land
or Houses, and Letters
out of either to farm or
for Lodgings. How lies
the Land? How stands
the Reckoning? Who
has any Lands in Appleby?
a Question askt the Man
at whose Door the Glass
stands Long.

Lank, Gaunt, Thin,
Hollow, Lean, Mea­
ger, Slender, Weak.
Lank Ears of Corn, very
thin Ears.

Lanspresado, c. he that
comes into Company
with but Two pence in
his Pocket.

Lantern-jaw'd, a very
lean, thin faced Fel­
low. A Dark-Lanthorn,
the Servant or Agent
that Receives the Bribe
(at Court).

Lap, c. Pottage, But­
ter-milk, or Whey.
'Tis rum Lap, c. this is
excellent Soupe.

Larbord, on the left
side or Hand.

Lare-over, said when
the true Name of the
thing must (in decency)
be concealed.

Largess, a Pittance
properly given to Reap­
ers and Harvest Folks,
now used for any petty
Donative, or small
Gratuity.

Latitudinarian, a Church­
man at large, one that
is no Slave to Rubrick,
Canons, Liturgy, or
Oath of Canonical O­
bedience, and in fine
looks towards Lambeth,
and rowes to Geneva.

Lay'd-up in Lavender, 
when any Cloaths or
other Moveables are
paw'd or dipt for pre­



sent Money; also Rodds
in a Pickle, of Revenge
in reserve, till an oppor­
tunity offers to show
it.See OED, "lay", v.1.

Lawn, a naked Space
in the middle of a Park
or Forrest, left Until­
led, and without Wood,
contrary to a Hay, which
see in it's proper Place;
also very thin Linnen
formerly much Worn.

Layr, the Impression
where any Deer hath
Harboured or reposed.


L E

Leachers, Lascivious or
Lustful Men.

Leaden pate, a dull,
heavy, stupid Fellow.

Leaders, the first Play­
ers, Generals of Armies,
and Men of most sway
in great Councils or
Assemblies; also the
Fore-horses in Coaches
and Teams. Who Leads?
Who begins or Plays
first.

Leash, Three; also
the String where with
a Grey-hound is Led.

Leather-head, a Thick-­
skull'd Heavy-headed
Fellow.

Leather-mouth'd Fish,  
Carp, Roach, &c. hav­
ing their Teeth in their
Throats.

Leathern Convenience, 
(by the Quakers) a
Coach.

Leaves, of a Tree,
of a Book, of Doors, or
Window-shutters, and of
folding Tables; I must
turn over a new Leaf with
you, or take another
Course with you.

Legerdemain, Jugglers
Tricks; also Sharping.

Lesses, Boars Excre­
ments.

Let's take an Ark and
Winns, c. let us hire a
Skuller.

Let's buy a Brush, or
Let's Lope, c. let us
scour off, and make
what shift we can to
secure our selves from
being apprehended. Let
him Laugh that Wins:
Let, Let the World say what



they will, if I find all well
at Home. Let every Man
meddle with his own.

Leveret, the first
Year, see Hare.

Levite, a Priest or
Parson; also those of
the Tribe of Levi, whose
Inheritance the Priest­
hood (craft and all)
was.

Levy, the Prince's, or
any great Man's time of
Rising.

Leystall, a Dunghil.


L I

Lib, c. to Tumble or
Lye together.

Libben, c. a private
dwelling House.Not found in OED.

Libbege, c. a Bed.

Libkin, c. a House to
Lye in; also a Lodging.

Libertines, Pleasant and
profuse Livers, that
Live-apace, but wildly,
without Order, Rule, or
Discipline, lighting the
Candle (of Life) at
both Ends. A short Life
and a Merry one. Life is
sweet. Life is half Spent,
before we know what it is.

Lickt, Pictures new
Varnished, Houses new
Whitened, or Women's
Faces with a Wash.

Lifter, c. a Crutch.

Light-finger'd, Thievish.

Light-mans, c. the
Day or Day-break.

Light friggate, a Whore;
also a Cruiser.

Light Woman, or Light
Huswife, Lewd, Who­
rish.

Light-timbered Fellow, 
limber'd limber or slender Lim­
b'd; also weak.

Lilly-white, c. a Chim­
ney-sweeper.

Linnen-armorers, c.
Tailers.

Line of the old Author, 
a Dram of Brandy.Not found in OED.

Litter, any thing clat­
ter'd up, out of Place
or Order, What a litter
here is? What a toss and
Tumble? Also a Litter of
Cubbs, young Foxes;
of Whelps, Puppies, young
Doggs.

Little Barbary, Wap­
ping.

Little Fellow or Action,



Contemptible, Base,
Sneaking, Ungentle­
man-like.


L O

Loblolly, any ill-cookt
Mess.

Lob-cock, a heavy,
dull Fellow. In Lob's
Pound, Laid by the Heels,
or clap'd up in Jail.

Lobster, a Red Coat
Soldier.

Lock all fast, c. one
that Buys and Conceals
Stolen Goods. The Lock,
c. the Magazine or
Ware-house whither, the
Thieves carry Stolen
Goods to be secur'd;
also an Hospital for
Pockey Folks in Kent-­
street.See OED, "lock," n.2, 17.

Lockram-jaw'd, Thin,
Lean, Sharp-visag'd.

Loge, c. a Watch. I
suppose from the French
Horloge, a Clock or
Watch. Filed a Cly of
a Loge, or Scout, c. Pickt
a Pocket or a Watch.
Biting a Loge, or Scout, c.
the same.

Loggerhead, a heavy,
dull Fellow. To go to
Loggerheads, to go to
Fisticuffs.

Lolpoop, a Lazy, Idle
Drone. To Loll, to Lean
on the Elbows;  also to
put out the Tongue in
derision.

Long-headed, Wise, of
great reach and fore­
sight.

Long-meg, a very tall
Woman.Not found in OED.

Long-shanks, Long-leg­
ged.

Long-winded Pay-master, 
one that very slowly,
heavily, or late Paies.

Looby, a lazy dull Fel­
low.

Looking-glass, a Cham­
ber-Pot.

Loon-slatt, c. a Thir­
teen Pence half Penny.
A Loon, see Lout. A
False Loon, a true Scotch
Man, or Knave of any
Nation.

Lord, a very crooked
deformed, or ill-shapen
Person.

Lore, Learning or Skill
in any Thing.



Louse-land, Scotland.
A Scotch Louse-trap, a
Comb.

Lout, an heavy, idle
Fellow. To Lout, to Low
like a Cow, or Bellow
like a Bull.

Loure, c. Money.

Low tide, when there's
no Money in a Man's
Pocket.

Low-pad, c. a Foot-­
Pad.


L U

Lubber, Lubberly, a
heavy, dull Fellow.

Lud's-bulwark, c. Lud­
gate Prison.See OED, Ludgate.".

Luggage, Lumber.

Luggs, Ears; Hence
to Lug by the Ears.
Ye can be make a Silk-­
Purse of a Sowe's Luggs,
a Scotch Proverb. To
Lug out, to draw a
Sword.

Lullaby-cheat, c. a
Child.

Lumber, Rubbish, Trash,
Trumpery.

Lumpish, heavy dull,
drowsy.

Lurched, Beaten at
any Game. Left in the
Lurch, Pawn'd for the
Reckoning, or left at
Stake to Smart for any Plot.

Lure, c. an idle Pam­
plet; also a Bait.
Throw out a Lure, to lay
Bait.

Lurries, c. Money,
Watches, Rings, or o­
ther Moveables.


L Y

Lyome, the String
wherewith a Hound is
Led.


M A

Mab, a Slattern. Mab'd
up, Drest carelessly, like
a Slattern, of such a one
it is said. Her Cloths
fit on her, like a Saddle on
a Sow's Back. Queen
Mab, Queen of the Fai­
ries.

Mackerel, c. a Bawd.

Mackerel-back, a very
tall, lank Person.

Machiavilian, one



wickedly or knavishly
Politic.

Machines, Vessels full
of Carcasses and Bombs,
under Shelter or Covert
of the Smokers, to come
close up under Walls,
Forts, Fortifications, &c.
being fixt to Blow up
the same. Also Engines
or Instruments of divers
Arts, and Movements
upon the Stage.

Madam Van, c. a
Whore. The Cull has
been with Madame Van, c.
the Fellow has enjoyed
such a one.Not found in OED.

Mad-cap, a frolicksom
Person.

Made, c. Stolen. I
Made this Knife at a
heat, c. I Stole it cle­
verly.

Mad Tom, alias of
Bedlam, the Eighteenth
Rank of Canters.

Madge-howlet, an Owl.

Maggot, a whimsical
Fellow, full of strange
Fancies and Caprichio's
Maggoty, Freakish.

Maiden-sessions, when
none are Hang'd.

Mailes, the Breast-­
Feathers of a Hawk.

Main, great, excellent,
choice, rare; also the
Sea. Maingood, very good.
With Might and Main,
Tooth and Nail.

Make, c. a half Pen­
ny.

Make-bait, a Trouble-­
House, or Mischief-ma­
ker, a stirrer of Strife, and
maker of Debate, a
Boute feu, or Incendiary.

Male-contents, Disaf­
fected to the State, out
of Humor with the Go­
vernment.

Malkin or Maukin, a
Scare-crow, Drest and
Set up to fright the Birds.
Also a Scovel (of old
Clouts) to cleanse the
Oven: Hence Malkin-­
trash, for one in a rueful
Dress, enough to Fright
one. There are more
Maids than Malkins,
Mawks, the same ab­
breaviated. Mawkish a
Wallowish, ill Tast.

Malmesey-nose, a jolly,
red Nose.

Man o'th' Town, a



Lew'd Spark, or very
Debauchee.

Manning, a Hawk,
making him endure
company.

Mannikin, a Dwarf,
or diminutive Fellow.

Mantles, when Drink
is brisk and smiles; also
when a Hawk stretch­
eth one of her Wings
after her Leggs, and so
the other.Not found in OED.

Margery-prater, c. a
Hen.

Marinated, c. Trans­
ported into some for­
reign Plantation; also
Fish Soused.

Marriage music, Chil­
drens Cries.

Marks, the Footing
of an Otter.

Marrel, a Bird about
the bigness of a Knot,
but not good Meat.

Martern, a Wild Cat,
the second Year, called
a Cub, the first. A Mar­
tern Treeth, Lodgeth;
Tree the Martern, Dis­
lodge him.

Masons-mawn'd, c. a
Sham sore above the
Elbow, to counterfeit a
broken Arm, by a Fall
from a Scaffold, expos'd
by subtil Beggers, to
move Compassion, and
get Money.Not found in OED.

Masons-word, who
ever has it, shall never
want, there being a Bank
at a certain Lodge in
Scotland for their Relief.
'Tis communicated with
a strict Oath, and much
Ceremony, (too tedious
to insert) and if it be
sent to any of the Socie­
ty, he must, (nay will)
come immediately, tho'
very Busy, or at a great
Distance.

Match, or Make, the
Copulation of Woolves.

Match-makers, a bet­
ter sort of Procurers of
Wives for Men, or Hus­
bands for Women, Mai­
den-head-jobbers, Vir­
ginity Sellers, Bro­
kers, &c.

Maul'd, swingingly
Drunk, or soundly
Beat.

Maunders, c. Beggers.



Maund-ing, c. to Beg,
Begging.

Maundering-broth, Scold­
ing.Not found in OED.

Mawdlin, weepingly
Drunk, as we say the
Tears of the Tankard.
What are you Mawdlin
you Rake? are ye' neither
Drunk, nor Sober?

May-games, Frolicks,
Plaies, Tricks, Pastimes,
&c. Do you make a May-­
game of me? do you
Abuse or Expose me?


M E

Mead, a pleasant Sum­
mer Drink, made of
Water and Honey, Boyl­
ed, and Bottled fine, in
great vogue in Moscovy,
where 'tis said the best
in the World is made.

Meadites, a Faction of
Quakers, that follow
most, and are in the In­
terest of Mead.Not found in OED.

Meal-mouth, a sly,
sheepish Dun, or Solli­
citor for Money.

Measure, the Distance
of Duellers. To break
Measure, to be out of
the Adversaries reach.

Mechanic, a Trades­
man; also a mean, in­
considerable, contemp­
tible Fellow.

Meggs, c. Guineas.
We fork'd the rum Cull's
Meggs to the tune of Fifty,
c. We Pickt the Gentle­
man's Pocket of full
Fourty Guineas.

Mellow, a'most Drunk;
also smooth, soft Drink.

Melt, c. to spend
Money. Will you Melt
a Bord? c. Will you spend
your Shilling? The Cull
Melted a couple of Decusses
upon us, c. the Gentle­
man spent ten Shillings
upon us.

Member-mug, a Cham­
ber-pot.

Mercury, Wit; also
Quick-silver, and a Cou­
rant or News-letter.

Mercurial, Witty;
also one Born under Mercury,
i.e. when that Planet is
Lord of the Horoscope
or Ascendant at Birth.

Mercury-women, Whole-­
sale News-sellers, who



Retail to the Hawkers.

Metheglin, a strong
Drink, made of new
Wort and Honey.

Mew, when Deer cast
their Horns; also the
Place where the Hawk
is set down, during the
time she raiseth her Fea­
thers.

Meyny, the Folks, or
Family-Servants. Hence
Menial-Servant, yet in
use, for a Domestic or
Family-Servant.


M I

Misty, apt to take
Pet, or be out of Humor.

Mill-clapper, a (Wo­
man's) Tongue. As Safe
as a Thief in a Mill, a
waggish Periphrasis for
a Miller, who is a
Thief by his Trade.

Milch-kine, a Term
us'd by Gaolers, when
their Prisoners will bleed
freely to have some Fa­
vor, or be at large.

Mill, c. to Steal, Rob
or Kill.

Mill-a-ken, c. to Rob
a House, Milling the
Gig with a Betty, c.
Breaking open the Door
with an Iron-Crow.
Milling the Glaze, c. Break­
ing open the Window.
Mill them, c. Kill them.Not found in OED.

Miller, c. a Killer or
Murderer.

Mill-a-crackmans, c.
to break a Hedge.

Mill-a-bleating-cheat, c.
to kill a Sheep.

Mill a-grunter, c. to
Kill a Pig.

Mil-ken, c. a House-­
breaker. Mill the Gig
with a Dub, c. to open
the Door with a Pick-­
lock or false Key.

Miller's-Thumb, or
Bull-head, a Fish with
a broad Head, and wide
Mouth, two Finns near
his Eyes, and as many
under his Belly, and on
his Back, and one be­
low the Vent, his Tayl
round, and his Body
cover'd with Whitish,
Blackish and Brownish
Spotts.

Mince the Matter, to
tell it Sparingly or by
Halves.



Miniature, Painting
in little.

Minks, a proud Flirt.

Mint, c. Gold; also
a late Sanctuary (in
Sowthwark) for such as
broke either out of Ne­
cessity, or in Design to
bring their Creditors the
more easily to a Com­
position. Hence Minters,
the Inhabitants.

Miquelets, Mounta­
neers, (in Spain) or Spa­
nish Rapparies.

Miscreant, a lewd, wick­
ed Fellow.

Mish, c. a Shirt or Smock.

Mish-topper, c. a Coat
or Petticoat.

Miskin, a Dunghil
or Lay-stall.

Miss, a Whore of
Quality; also a little
Girl.


M O

Moabites, Serjeants,
Bailiffs and their Crew.

Mob, the Vulgar,
or Rabble.

Mobile, the Vulgar,
or Rabble.

Mobility, the Vulgar,
or Rabble.

Mock-song, that Ridi­
cules another Song, in
the same Terms and to
the same Tune. A Mock-­
Romance, that ridicules
other Romances, as
Don Quixot. A Mock-­
Play, that exposes other
Playes, as the Rehearsal.
A Mock-holy-day. To Mock,
or mimick another.

Moggy, in Scotch, as
Peg in English, for Mar­
garet.

Moil, to Drudge or
Labour Hard. To Moil
and Toil, to Slave at it.
A Moiling Fellow, a
Drudge or great Pains­
taker.

Molinet, a Chocolate
Stick, or little Mill.

Mongrel, c. a Hanger
on among the Cheats,
a Spunger. Of a Mon­
grel race or Breed, a Curr
or Man of a base,
ungenerous Breed.

Mood, Humor. In a
merry Mood, or good
Humor; in an ill Mood,
or out of Humor. Moody,
Humorous.

Moon-curser, c. a Link-­
boy, or one that under
Colour of lighting Men,



Robs, them or leads them
to a gang of Rogues,
that will do it for them.

Moon-men, c. Gipsies.

Moon-blind, a sort of
Horses, weak-sighted.

Moppet, a pretty Mop­
pet, a very pretty little
Baby.

Mopsie, a Dowdy, or
Homely woman.

Mop-eied, one that
can't see well, by living
too long a Maid.

Mop'd, Maz'd.

Mopus, c. a half Pen­
ny or Farthing. A meer
Mopus grown become
dispirited, dull and Stu­
pid.

Morglag, a Watch-­
man's brown Bill; as
Glaives, are Bills or
Swords.

Morisco, a Morris or
Morrice-dance, being
belike some Remains of
a Moorish Custom with
us, as the Juego de Toros,
or Feast of Bulls is, in
Spain.

Mort, or Death, is
Blown at the Death of
the Deer.

Morts, c. Yeoman's
daughters; also a Wife,
Woman, or Wench.

Moss-troopers, so cal­
led from the Mosses,
waste Lands in Lanca­
shire, as the Bog-Trotters
in Ireland, are from the
Boggs there.

Mother, a Bawd.

Mother-midnight, a
Midwife (often a Bawd).

Mouchets, Patches for
Ladies Faces.

Moveables, c. Rings,
Watches, Swords, and
such Toies of value. As
we bit all the Cull's Cole
and Moveables, c. we
Won all the Man's Mo­
ney, Rings, Watches, &c.
Very Moving, prevail­
ing, powerful, perswad­
ing.

Mountings, a Soldier's
Arms and Cloths.

Mouse-trap  . The Par­
son's Mouse-trap, Mar­
riage. He watcht me, as
a Cat does a Mouse, i.e.
narrowly. A Man or a
Mouse, a Prince or a
Peasant. A Mouse in the
Pot is better than no Flesh,



or something has some
Savour. 'Tis pitty to
fling Water on a Drown'd
Mouse, or to depress the
Miserable. A sorry Mouse,
that has but one Hole, or
a poor Creature that has
but one Shift.

Mouth, a noisy Fel­
low. A Mouthing Fellow,
a Bawling or Scolding
Person. He never Speaks,
but his Mouth opens. Mouth
half Cocks, gaping and
staring at every thing
they see.

Mower, c. a Cow.

Mow-beater, c. a Dro­
ver.


M U

Muck, Money, Wealth;
also Dung to manure
Land.

Muckworm, a cove­
tous Wretch.

Muckinder, a Child's
Handkerchief tied by
the side.

Muddle, half Drunk.
To Muddle on, tho' so,
yet to Drink on.

Muff, c. a Woman's
Secrets. To the well wear­
ing of your Muff Mort,
c. to the happy Consum­
mation of your Marri­
age Madam, a Health.

Muffling-cheat, c. a
Napkin.

Muggletonians, the
Sect or Disciples of Lo­
dowick Muggleton.

Mulligrubs or Mumps,
a Counterfeit Fit of the
Sullens.

Mum-for-that, not a
Word of the Pudding.

Mumble, to Mutter
or Speak between the
Teeth.

Mum-chance, one that
sits mute. He looks like
Mum-chance that was
Hang'd for saying of no­
thing.

Mum-glass, the Monu­
ment, erected at the City-­
charge, in Memory of
the dreadful Fire 1666,
which consum'd the
greatest Part of it.

Mumpers, c. Gentile-­
Beggers, who will not
accept of Victuals, but
Money or Cloths.

Mumpers-hall, c. se­



veral Ale-houses in and
about this City and
Suburbs, in Allies, and
By-places, much used
by them, and resorted
to in the Evening, where
they will be very Mer­
ry, Drunk, and Frolick­
som.

Mun-corn, half Wheat,
half Rye.Not found in OED.

Muns, c. the Face.
Toute his Muns, c. note
well his Phis, or mark his
Face well.

Musick, It makes ill
Musick, of any unwel­
come or unpleasing News.
Touch that String most
which makes best Musick,
or that cannot be Harp­
ed upon too often that
pleases. The Musick's
paid, c. the Watch-word
among High-way-men,
to let the Company they
were to Rob, alone, in
return to some Courtesy
from some Gentleman
among them.

Must, new Wine, or
Wine on the Lea. After
Beef, Mustard, of a thing
preposterous, or out of
Place; as we say, the
Cart before the Horse.

Mute, when Hounds
or Beagles run long with­
out opening or making
any Cry; also a certain
dumb Executioner a­
mong the Turks.

Muting, the Excre­
ments of a Hern or
Hawk.

Mutter, to Speak in­
wardly and between
the Teeth.

Mutton-monger, a Lo­
ver of Women; also a
Sheep-stealer.

Mutton-in-long-coats, 
Women. Leg of Mut­
ton in a Silk-Stocking, a
Woman's Leg.

Muzzle, c. a Beard,
(usually) long and
nasty.


M Y

Myrmidons, c. the
Constable's Attendants,
or those whom he com­
mands (in the King's
Name) to Aid and as­
sist him; also the Watch­
men.




N A

Nab, c. a Hat, Cap,
or Head; also a Cox­
comb. I'll Nab ye, c. I'll
have your Hat or Cap.
Nim the Nab, c. to Steal
the Hat or Cap. Nab'd,
c. Apprehended, Taken
or Arrested.

Nab-cheta, c. a Hat.

Nab-girder, c. a Bridle.

Nanny-house, a Baw­
dy-house.

Nap, c. by Cheating
with the Dice to secure
one Chance; also a
Clap, or Pox, and a
short sleep. Nap the Wi­
per, c. to Steal the Hand­
kerchief. You have Napt
it, c. you are Clapt
Sir. To be caught Napping,
to be Surpriz'd, or Ta­
ken a sleep.

Napper, c. a Cheat,
or Thief.

Napper of Napps, c. a
Sheep-stealer.

Nappy-Ale, very Strong,
Heady.

N'are-a-face-but-his-­
own, Not a Penny in
his Pocket.

Narrow, when the
Biass of the Bowl holds
too much. 'Tis all Nar­
row, said by the Butch­
ers one to another when
their Meat proves not
as good as expected. A
Narrow-soul'd Fellow, poor
or Mean-spirited, stingy.
Narrow or near search or
Escape, watch him nar­
rowly or nearly. Of a Nar­
row or slender Fortune.

Nask, c. or Naskin, c. 
A Prison or Bridewell.
The old Nask, c. the Ci­
ty Bridewell. The new
Nask, c. Clerkenwell
Bridewell. Tuttle Nask,
c. the Bridewel in Tut­
tle-Fields. He Napt it at
the Nask, c. he was
Lasht at Bridewell.

Natural, c. a Mistress,
a Wench; also a Fool.

Natural-children, Ba­
stards.

Mr. Nawpost, a fool­
ish Fellow.

Nay-word, a common
By-word, or Proverb.

Nazie, c. Drunken.



Nazie-cove, c. a Drunk­
ard.

Nazy-nabs, c. Drunk­
en Coxcombs.


N E

Neb, the Bill of a
Bird, and the slit or
point of a Pen. She
holds up her Neb, she
turns up her Snout to be
Kist.

Neck stamper, c. the
Pot-Boy at a Tavern
or Ale-house.

Neck-verse, a Favor
(formerly) indulged to
the Clergy only, but
(now) to the Laity also,
to mitigate the Rigor of
the Letter of the Law,
as in Man-slaughter, &c.
Reading a Verse out of
an old Manuscript Latin
Psalter, (tho' the Book
now used by the Ordi­
nary is the same Printed
in an old English Cha­
racter) saves the Crimi­
nal's Life. Nay now
even the Women (by
a late Act of Parliament)
have (in a manner) the
benefit of their Clergy,
tho not so much as put
to Read; for in such
Cases where the Men are
allow'd it; the Women
are of course fizz'd in
the Fist, without run­
ning the risque of a
Halter by not reading.

Negro-nos'd, Flat.

Hawk-nos'd, Hook'd.

Roman-nos'd, Rais'd
in the middle
like King­
ston Bridge.

Needle-point, c. a Shar­
per.

Neither-Vert, all sorts
of Under-wood.

Neighbourly, Friendly,
Kind, Loving, Oblig­
ing. You Live a great way
off good Neighbors, to
him, that is the Trum­
pet of his own Praises.

Nestlings, Canary-­
Birds, brought up by
Hand. What a Nestling
you keep, how restless
and uneasy you are
Nest of Rebbits.

Nettled, Teiz'd, pro­
voked, made uneasy.



He has pist upon a Nettle,
he is very uneasy, or
much out of Humor.
In Dock, out Nettle, upon
the change of Places,
when one is no sooner
out, but another is in his
Place.


N I

Nice, squeemish, pre­
cise. More nice than
wise, a Sir Courtly Nice, a
silly empty, gay, foolish
Fellow.

Nickum, c. a Shar­
per; also a Rooking
Ale-house or Innkeeper,
Vintner, or any other Retail­
er. Nick it, to win at
Dice, to hit the Mark, to
Drink the pin to, or but­
ton. Old Nick, the Devil.
Nick and Froth built the
Pye at Aldgate, sharping
in the Reckonings and
cheating in the Measure
built that (once) Noted
House.

Ninkum-poop, a Fool,
also a silly soft, Uxori­
ous Fellow.

Nick-ninny, an empty
Fellow, a meer Cod's
Head.

Nig, c. the Clippings
of Money.

Nigler, c. a Clipper.Sense not found in OED.

Nigging, c. Clipping.

Nigling, c. accom­
panying with a Wo­
man.

Night-Magistrate, a
Constable.

Night-men, Gold-fin­
ders, Tom-turd-men.

Night-rale, a Woman's
combing Cloth, to dress
her Head in.

Night-walker, c. a
Bellman; also a Light
Woman, a Thief, a
Rogue.

Nigit, a Fool.

Nigmenog, a very silly
Fellow.

Nikin, a Natural, or
very soft creature; also
Isaac.

Nim, c. to Steal, or
whip off or away any
thing. Nim a Togeman,
c. to Steal a Cloak.
Nim a Cloak, c. to cut
off the Buttons in a
Crowd, or whip it off a
Man's Shoulders.



Nim-gimmer, c. a Doc­
tor, Surgeon, Apothe­
cary or any one that
cures a Clap or the Pox.

Ninny, c. a Canting
whining Begger; also
a Fool.

Ninny-hammer, a silly
Senseless Fellow.

Nip, c. a Cheat; also
to Pinch or Sharp any
thing. Nip-a-bung, c. to
cut a Purse. To Nip, to
Press between the Fin­
gers and Thumb with­
out the Nails, or with
any broad Instrument
like a pair of Tongs as
to squeeze between Edg­
ed Instruments or Pin­
cers. Nipping Frost or
Wind, Sharp or Cutting.
To Nip in the Bud, of an
early Blast or Blite of
Fruit; also to crush any
thing at the beginning.

Nipperkin, c. half a
Pint of Wine, and but
half a Quartern of Bran­
dy, Strong waters, &c.

Nipps, c. the Shears
with which Money was
won't to be Clipt.

Nit, wine that is brisk,
and pour'd quick into a
Glass; also a young
Louse. Nitts will be Lice.

Nizy, c. a Fool, or
Coxcomb.


N O

Nob, c. a Head.

Nocky, c. a silly, dull
Fellow.

Noddle, a Head.

Noddy, c. a Fool.
Knave-Noddy, a Game
on the Cards.

Nokes, a Ninny or
Fool; also a noted Droll
but lately Dead.

Nol, Oliver. Old Nol,
the late Usurper Crom­
wel.See citations in OED, "discarding, vbl. n.", and "roundhead."

Noggin, (of Brandy)
a Quarter of a Pint.

Noble, a, Six and eight-­
pence. He has brought a
Noble to Nine Pence, of one
that has reduced his For­
tune.

Noise, used either of
Harmonious or con­
fused Sounds, Noise of
Thunder, or of a Mill,
Noise of the Hounds, a



Noise of Fiddles, of Trum­
pets and Drums, a Noise of
Swords, or clashing; make
a Noise Tom, Hot Pud­
ding-Pies.

Non-con, one that don't
conform to the Church
of England.

Nonjurors, Clergymen
and others (Officers in
the Army, Navy, &c.)
That refus'd to take the
Oaths to King WIL­
LIAM and Queen
MARY, and were
turn'd out of their Liv­
ings and Employments.

Nooz'd, or caught in a
Nooze, married; also
Hanged.

Nose-gent, c. a Nun.
As plain as the Nose in
your Face, of a fair mark
that cannot be hid. He
has a good Nose, of a
Smell-Feast. He holds up
his Nose, of one that is
Haughty, and carries
his Head high. He is
led by the Nose, of one
that is easily imposed
upon. You make a Bridge
of his Nose, when you
pass your next Neighbour
in Drinking, or one is
preferr'd over another's
Head. Follow your Nose,
said in a jeer to those
that know not the way,
and are bid to Smell it
out, as we say to Smell
a Post.Postdates latest OED example (1567).


N U

Nub, c. the Neck.

Nubbing, c. Hanging.

Nubbing-cheat, c. the
Gallows.

Nubbing-cove, c. the
Hangman.

Nubbing-ken, c. the
Sessions-House.

Nug, a Word of Love,
as, my Dear Nug, my
Dear Love.

Nugging-Dress, an odd
or particular way, out
of the Fashion.

Numms, c. a Sham,
or Collar-Shirt, to hide
the t'other when Dirty.

Num-skul, a Foolish
Person.

Nut-crackers, c. a Pil­
lory. The Cull lookt through
the Nut-crackers, the Rogue
stood in the Pillory.




O A

Oaf, a Wise-acre, a
Ninny or Fool, Oafish,
Silly.

Oak, an Oak, c. a
rich Man, of good Sub­
stance and Credit.

Oats, One that has
sown his wild Oats, or
having run out of all,
begins to take up and
be more Staied.


O B

Oberon, King Oberon
or little Oberon, King of
the Fairies.


O F

Office, His Office, any
Man's ordinary Haunt,
or Plying-place, be it
Tavern, Ale-house,
Gaming-house or Bowl­
ing-green. A cast of your
Office, or a Touch of
your Employment. Be
good in your Office, a Ca­
veat to those that are
apt to forget themselves in it.


O G

Ogles, c. Eyes. Rum
Ogles, c. fine, bright,
clear, piercing Eyes.

Ogling, c. casting a
sheep's Eye at Handsom
Women. The Gentry­
mort has rum Ogles, c.
that lady has charm­
ing black Eyes.


O L

Old Coney, after the
first Year.Not found in OED as a phrase.

Old-dog-at-it, good or
expert.

Old-dog-at-common-pray­
er, a Poor Hackney that
cou'd Read, but not
Preach well.

Old Harry, a Com­
position used by Vint­
ners, when they bedevil
their Wines.

Old-Mr Gory, c. a
piece of Gold.

Old Nick, the Devil.

Old Mob, a noted
Hawker.



Old-Toast, a brisk old
Fellow. A pleasant Old
Cuff, a frolicksom old
Fellow.See "toast," n. 1, 3.

Oliver's Skull, a Cham­
ber-pot.

Olli-Compolli, c. the
by-name of one of the
principal Rogues of the
Canting Crew.Not found in OED.


O N

One in Ten, a Parson.

One of my Cosens, a
Wench.


O P

Open-arse, a Medlar;
also a Lewd Woman.

Open House, or Open
Doors, free for all Co­
mers or Goers.

Open-handed, in Spend­
ing, oppos'd to close-­
fisted. Open in Speech,
to reserv'd. Open-sea,
when there is a free
Trade, oppos'd to a Sea
shut up in War, by Pi­
rates, Privateers or Em­
bargo's of Ships.

Opiniator, an Assum­
ing positive Fellow, an
obstinate self-conceited
Coxcomb.


O R

Orator to a Mountebank,  
the Doctor's Decoy who
in conjunction with
Jack Pudding, amuses,
diverts and draws in the
Patients.


O T

Otter, an Amphibious
Creatuer, betwixt a Beast
and a Fish, a great des­
troyer of Fish, afford­
ing much sport in Hun­
ting. Otter watcheth,
Lodgeth. Vent the Otter,
Dislodge him. An Otter
whineth, makes a noise
at Rutting time. Hun­
teth for his Kind, the
term for their Copula­
tion.


O U

Out-at-heels, or El­
bows, in a declining Con­
dition, going down the
Wind.

Out-run the Constable, 
to Spend more than is
Got, or Run out of an
Estate, to run Riot.

Outside, that is the Out­
side, or utmost Rate.


O V

Over-vert, all manner
of High Woods.

Over-sight, has two



contrary Significations
under one Sound, for
an Oversight is either
the Care or Charge of,
or Inspection into any
Affair, or else an Over­
sight Imports a Slip or
Error committed in it,
for want of due Care
and Circumspection.
Over-shoes over Boots, or
to go Through-stitch.
Overdo, double Diligence.

Oven, The Mother had
never lookt for her Daugh­
ter in the Oven, if she
had not been there her
self before, or, she muses
as she uses.


O W

Owlers, those who
privately in the Night
carry Wool to the Sea-­
Coasts, near Rumney-­
Marsh in Kent, and some
Creeks in Sussex, &c.
and Ship it off for France
against Law.


O X

Ox-house, He must go
through the Ox-house to
Bed, of an old Fellow
that Marries a young
Woman. The black Ox
has not trod upon his Foot,
of one that has not been
Pinch'd with Want, or
been Hard put to it.


O Y

Oyl of Barley, strong
Drink.


P A

Pack, a Fardel or Bun­
dle. Pack of Knaves, the
worst of all the Pack, or
a Knave in the Grain. Pack
of Juries, Packing of
Cards, Pick a Pack, Pack
up your Nawls and be gone,



Packing of Parties and
Elections. A common Pack­
horse, a Hackney or
common Drudge, one
made a Slave of.

Pad, c. the High Way,
and a Robber thereon;
also a Bundle. Rum Pad,
c. a daring or stout High­
way-man. Paddington-­
Fair, c. an Execution
of Malefactors at Tyburn;
also a real Fair at the
Village of that Name,
near that Place. Goes
upon the Pad, or a Padding,
c. Robbs upon the High-­
way. A Pad, an easy
Pacing Horse. Padds,
worn by the Women to
save their Sides from
being Cut or Mark'd
with the Strings of their
Petty-coats.

Pageant, a thing Drest
up and set out to make
a Show. A Piece of Pa­
geantry, a thing that
makes a Figure in a Show
or Play, as Play-house
Kings and Generals
Strut and Stalk upon
the Stage.

Pain, not in pain, not
in Care or Concern.

Painter, the Rope that
lies in the Ship's Long­
boat, or Barge, alwaies
ready to Fasten her, or
Hale her on Shoar. I'll
Cut your Painter for ye,
I'll prevent ye doing me
any Mischief; the Tar-­
Cant, when they Quar­
rel one with another.
What pleases the Painter,
when any Representati­
ons in the Productions
of his or any Art is un­
accountable, and so is
to be resolv'd purely in­
to the good Pleasure of
the Artist.

Pale of the Church, in
or out of the Church's
Enclosure.

Pall'd, Flat, Dispiri­
ted, or Dead Drink.

Pallet, a little Bed;
also the Receiver of the
Painter's Colours mingl­
ed, as the Shells are of
his several Colours un­
mingled; also one half
of the Pale in Heraldry.

Palm, the Attire of a
Buck.



Paltry Fellow, a sor­
ry, base, mean, con­
temptible Varlet.

Palliards, c. the Sea­
venth Rank of the Cant­
ing Crew, whose Fa­
thers were Born Beggers,
and who themselves fol­
low the same Trade,
with Sham Sores, mak­
ing a hideous Noise,
Pretending grievous
Pain, do extort Cha­
rity.

Pam, the Knave of
Clubbs.

Pamper'd priest, High-­
Fead.

Pamper'd horse, High-­
Fead.

Panam, c. Bread.

Pantas, a Disease in
Hawks.

Panter, c. a Hart.

Pantry, Buttery.

Pantler, Butler.

Paper-Buildings, slight,
Wooden, or old.

Paper-skul, foolish,
soft, silly.

Paper-wars, Letter-­
combats.

Papers, Writings, or
Deeds.

Paplar, c. Milk-pot­
tage.

Par, Gold and Silver
at a like Proportion.

Parasite, a Trencher-­
Friend, a meer Whee­
dle.

Parell, Whites of Eggs,
Bay-Salt, Milk and
Conduit-Water beat to­
gether, and poured into
a Vessel of Wine to
Cure it's Fretting, in
order to Find it, and
make it Drink up.

Parie, to put By a
Thrust or Blow.

Parings, c. the Clip­
pings of Money.

Parlous, or Perillous
Man, a notable, shrew'd
Fellow.

Parsimonious, Near,
Niggardly, Pinching,
Stingy.

Pass, a Way, Lane,
River, Leave; also con­
dition. What a Sad Pass
things are come to? In
what an ill State they
are. That Shamm won't
Pass, that Trick won't
take. Do the Waters Pass
well? much in use at
the Wells, do they
Move as they ought?



To Passe upon one, to top
upon him, or impose
upon him; also a Term
at Billiards, when the
Ball goes through the
Court or Porch, it is said to pass.

Passage, a Camp-­
Game, with three Dice,
Doublets, making up
Ten or more, to Pass or
Win, any other Chances
lose.

Pass-bank, the Stock
or Fund thereto belong­
ing; also the playing
Place Cut out in the
Ground almost Cock­
pit waies.

Pat, apposite, or to
the purpose.

Patering, the Maun­
dring or pert Replies of
Servants. Patering of
Prayers, Muttering of
them, from the thick
Repeating of so many
Paters or Pater-nosters.
No Penny, no Pater-nosters,
no Pay, no Prayers.

Patrico, c. or Pater-­
cove, c. the Fifeteenth
Rank of the Canting
Tribe, strolling Priests
that Marry under a
Hedge without Gospel
or Common-prayer
Book, the Couple stand­
ing on each side a Dead
Beast, are bid to Live
together till Death them
do's Part, so shaking
Hands, the Wedding is
ended; also any Minist­
er, or Parson.

Pateepan, a little Pye;
or small Pasty.

Patrole, the Rounds.

Paume, when a Die or
Piece of Money is hid
in the Hand, to secure
the Game, or Wager.
He Paumes it, he Cheats,
or Plaies Foul.

Paw, a Hand.

Pawn, To Pawn any
Body, to steal away and
leave him or them to
Pay the Reckoning.

Pay through the Nose, 
Excessively, or with
Extortion.


P E

Peak, c. any kind of
Lace.

Pearls, the little Knobs



on the Bur (which see)
of a Stag.

Peck, c. Meat.

Peckidge, c. Meat.
Rum Peck, c. good Eat­
ing. The Gentry Cove tipt
us rum Peck and rum Gut­
tlers, till we were all Bow­
sy, and snapt all the Flick­
ers, the Gentleman gave
us so much good Victu­
als, and Canary, that
we were all Damn'd
Drunk, and broke all
the drinking Glasses.

Peculiars, Plants, Ani­
mals and Fossiles, pro­
per and particular to
some one Country, and
rarely if ever found in
others, as English Scur­
vy-grass, Sarsa, Sassafras
and Guajacum, all West
Indian Druggs; and so
for Animals, English
Maistiffs, Irish Grey-­
hounds, Barnacles, and
Soland Geese peculiar to
Scotland, as Puffins to
the Isle of Man; also
Parishes exempt from
other Ordinaries, and
peculiarly belonging to
the See of Canterbury.

Peculiar, c. a Mistress;
also particular, private,
proper.

Pedant, a meer Scho­
lar, a School-master, a
Man of one kind of
Learning or Business,
out of which he is good
for nothing.

Pedantry, a Learning
and Skill of one Colour.

Ped, a Basket.

Pedlars, Scotch Mer­
chants; also English
Retailers of Goods, that
stroll from Town to
Town.

Peddlars' French, a sort
of Gibrish or made Lan­
guage, easy to be Learnt
and Understood, used
by Gypsies, &c. Also
the Beggers Cant.

Peeking Fellow, a meer
Sneaks, one that peeps
in every Hold and Cor­
ner; also a thin, weasel-­
faced Fellow.

Peeper, c. a Looking-­
glass. Track the Dancers,
and pike with the Peepers,
c. whip up the Stairs,
and trip off with the
Looking-glass.



Peepers, c. Eyes.

Peepy, c. Peeping, c.
Drowsy, Sleepy. As the
Cull Peeps let's Mill him,
c. when the Man is a
Sleep, let's Kill him.

Peery, c. fearful, shy,
sly. The Cull's Peery, c.
the Rogue's afraid to
venture.

Peeter, c. a Portman­
tle or Cloak-bag. Bite
the Peeter, c. to whip
off the Cloak-bag. Biter
of Peeters, c. one that
makes a Trade of whip­
ping Boxes and Trunks
from behind a Coach or
out of a Waggon, or off
a Horse's Back.

Pea-goose, a silly Crea­
ture.

Peg at Cocks, to throw
at them at Shrovetide.
Gon to Pegtrantums, Dead.

Pel-mel, helter-skelter.

Pelt, a Heat or Chafe.
What a Pelt you are in?
what a Chase your in?
Also the Dead Body of
any Fowl the Hawk has
killd.

Pelts, Beast Skinns.

Pelting-village, Blind,
Obscure.

Penelope's Web, to do
and undo.See OED "web," n., I.1.a (unexplained).

Pennance-bord, c. a Pil­
lory.Not found in OED.

Pennites, that Faction
of Quakers that follow
most and are in the In­
terest of William Pen,
Governor of Pensylvania,
a Country lying betwixt
Forty and Forty five
Degrees of Latitude, in
America, much improv'd,
and like to florish.Not found in OED.

Pennyworth, I'll fetch
my Pennyworth out of him,
or make him earn what
he cost me.

Penny-white, said of her,
to whom Fortune has
been kinder than Nature.
Penny-wise and Pound-fool­
ish, Sparing in a little
and Lavish in a great
Deal, Save at the Spiggot
and let it out at the Bung­
hole. A Penny-worth for
one's Penny, for what is
worth one's Money.
To get a Penny, to endea­
vour to Live; to turn and



winde the Penny, to make
the most of one's Money,
or Lay it out at the best
Advantage. Pennyless,
poor, sharp, bare of
Money.

Penurious, pinching,
hard, parsimonious, little.

Pentice-Nab, a very
broad-brim'd Hat.Not found in OED but see "nab, " n.2.

Pepperd off, Damnably
Clapt or Poxt. Pepper-­
proof, not Clapt or
Poxt.

Pericranium, the Head
or Skull.

Perking, the late D
of M; also any pert for­
ward silly Fellow. To
Perk up, to hold up the
Head after Drooping.

Periwinkle, a Perruque
or Periwig; also the
same as Pinpatches.

Pestilent-fine, Tearing-­
fine.

Pet, a Fret. To be in a
Pet, or out of Humor.

Peter Lug, Who is Pe­
ter Lug? Who let's the
Glass stand at his Door?Not found in OED.

Petrify, to turn to
Stone.

Petrification, Concre­
tions, either such as are
hardned into Stone, by
exposing them to Air,
as Coral; or by casting
them into Cold Petrify­
ing Waters, as Wood.

Pettycoat-Pensioner, a
Gallant, or one Main­
tain'd for secret Service.See OED "petticoat," n., C3.


P H

Phanatics, Dissenters
from the Church of
England.

Pharoah, very strong
Mault-Drink.

Phoenix-men, the same
as Fire-drakes.

Philadelphians, a new
Sect of Enthusiasts pre­
tenders to Brotherly
Love, &c.

Philistines, Serjeants, Bail­
iffs and their Crew; al­
so Drunkards. I fell a­
mong the Philistines, I
chopt upon a knot of
Drunken Fellows.

Phis, for Physiogno­
my, Face or Aspect.


P I

Picking, little Steal­
ing, Pilfering, petty
Larceny.



Pickthank, a Tale-­
bearer, or an Insinua­
tor by any means to
curry Favour.

Pickaroon, a very small
Privateer; also a shab­
by poor Fellow.

Pickled, very Arch or
Waggish. In Pickle,
Poxt. Rodds in Pickle, or
revenge in Lavender.

Pig, c. Sixpence. The
Cull tipt me a Pig, c. the
Man gave me Sixpence.

Pig of the Sounders, see
Wild Boar.

Pigsnie, a word of Love.

Pig-widgeon, a silly
Fellow.

Pike, c. to run away,
flee, quit, or leave the
Place; also to Die. As
he Pikes, c. he walks or
goes. Pike on the been, c.
run away as fast as you can.
Piked off, c. run
away, fled, broke; also
Dead. To pass the Pikes,
to be out of Danger.

Pillau, a Hen and
Rice Boil'd, a Turkish
Dish, but now in use
in England, France and
Holland.

Pillory, a Baker; also
a Punishment mostly
heretofore for Beggers,
now for Perjury, Forg­
ery and suborned Per­
sons.

Pimp, the same as
Cock-bawd.

Pimp-whisking, a Top
Trader that way; also
a little mean-spirited,
narrow-soul'd Fellow.See OED "pimp," n.1, compounds.

Pimlico, a noted Cake-­
house formerly, but now
converted into a Bow­
linggreen, of good report
at Hogsden near London.

Pin, a small Vessel
containing Four Gallons
and a half, or the Eighth
part of a Barrel. To Pin
himself upon you, or to
Hang on. To Pin one's
Faith on another's Sleeve,
or take all upon Trust,
for Gospel that he saies.
Not a Pin to chuse, when
there is little or no dif­
ference. Upon a merry
Pin, or in a pleasant
Mood. Nick the Pin, to
Drink fairly.

Pimginnit, a large, red,
angry Pimple.



Pinch, to Steal, or
Slily convey any thing
away. To Pinch, to Cut
the Measures of Ale,
Beer, &c. To Pinch on
the Parson's side, or Sharp
him of his Tythes. At
a Pinch, upon a Push or
Exigence.

Pinch-gut-hall, a noted
House at Milend, so Nick-­
nam'd by the Tarrs, who
were half Starved in an
East-India Voiage, by
their then Commander,
who Built (at his return)
that famous Fabrick, and
(as they say) with what
he Pinch'd out of their Bellies.

Pinch-gut-money, al­
low'd by the King to the
Seamen, that Serve on
Bord the Navy Royal,
when their Provision
falls Short; also in long
Voyages when they are
forced to Drink Water
instead of Beer.

Pinpatches, a small
Shel-fish very like a Snail,
but less, Caught on the
Ouzes at low Tide, in
Rivers near the Sea, and
Sold cheap.

Picquant, a sharp Re­
flection; also a poynant
Sawce.

Pink't, Prickt with a
Sword in a Rencounter
or Duel. He Pink'd his
Doublet, he Run him
Through.

Piquet, a game at
Cards.

Pit, c. the hole un­
der the Gallows into
which those that Pay
not the Fee, viz. 6s 8d,
are cast and Buried.

Pit-a pat, or Pintle de
Pantledy, sadly Scared,
grievously put to it."pintle-de-pantledy" not found in OED.

Pitcher-bawd, the poor
Hack that runs of Er­
rands to fetch Wenches
or Liquor. Little Pitchers
have large Ears, Chil­
dren may over-hear, and
discover Secrets. The
Pitcher do's not go so often
to the Well, but it comes
home Broke at last, of him
that after many lucky
Adventures or narrow
Escapes, miscarries in
the End.Not found in OED.



Pithy jest, or Sen­
tence, that couches a
great deal in a little
room.

Pittance, a small
Largess or petty Gratui­
ty.


P L

Placaert, a Dutch Pro­
clamation, or Order of
the States.

Plad, Scotch striped
Stuff.

Plaint, for Complaint,
he made his Plaint to me,
or made his Complaint
to me. Hence Plaintiff
and Defendant at Law,
for Complainant and
Defendant.

Planks, thrown out
to save those that can
Swim in a Wreck; also
Flooring.

Plant, c. to lay, place,
or hide. Plant your Whids
and Stow them, c. be wary
what you say or let
slip.

Plaister of hot Gutts, 
one warm Belly clapt
to another.

Plate-fleet comes in, 
when Money comes to
Hand.

Platter-fac'd-jade, a ve­
re broad, ord'nary faced
Woman.

Plausible, smooth, spe­
cious, Taking.

Play it off, to play
Booty; also to throw
a way, at Gaming, so
much and no more. He
Plaies it off, he Cheats.

Pliant, supple, flexible,
ductile, manageable, Wax
to every Thumb.

Plodder, a Porer in
Records, Writings or
Books, a dull Drudge, or
hard Student. A Plod­
ding Lawyer, a Labori­
ous Lawyer. A Plodding
Horse, a good Drudge
or Pack-horse.

Pluck the Ribond, or
Pluck Sir O----n, ring
the Bell at the Tavern.

Plump-in-the-pocket, 
flush of Money.

Plyer, c. a Crutch.


P O

Poching, a sly destroy­



ing of Game, with
Dogs, Netts, Snares &c.
Contrary to the Laws;
also an Egg Boyld in
Water out of the Shell.

Poke, a Bag, Sack,
or Pocket. To buy a Pig
in a Poke, or unsight or
unseen. To carry your
Passions in your Pocket, or
smother your Passions.

Poker, one that con­
veys Coals (at Newcas­
tle) in Sacks, on Horse­
back; also a pointed
Porr to raise the Fire,
and a Sword.

Polt on the Pate, a good
Rap there.

Poltron, a Coward.

Ponyard, a short Dag­
ger or Stilletto.

Porker, c. a Sword.

Porters, Hirelings to
carry Burthens, Beasts
of Burthen, or else
Menial Servants set to
Guard the Gates in a
great Man's House, of
whom Dr. Donne said
pleasantly, that he was
ever next the Door, yet
the seldomest Abroad of
any of the Family.

Portable, Pocketable.

Portage, Carriage of
any thing, whether by
Land or Water.

Posse Mobilitatis, the
whole Rabble in a
Body.

Post, Employment,
Office, Station; also an
advanced, or advanta­
gious piece of Ground:
A Pillar in the Way or
Street. From Pillar to
Post, from Constable
to Constable.

Pot-hooks, Scrawls or
bad Writing.

Pot-valiant, Drunk.

Pot and Spit, Boyl'd
and Roast. A little Pot
is soon Hot, of a little Fel­
low soon made angry.
The Pot calls the Kettle
black A---, when one
accuses another of what
he is as Deep in himself.

Poulain, a Bubo.Not found in OED.

Powder-monkeys, Boys
planted at the Guns a
Bord the Ship, to fetch
Gun-powder, &c. in the
Engagement.

Powdring-tub, the



pocky Hospital at Kings­
land near London.

Poyson'd, Big with
Child.

Poyson-pate, red Hair'd.


P R

Prancer, c. a Horse.

Prancers-nab, c. a
Horse's Head used in a
Sham-Seal to such a Pass.

Prancers-poll, c. the
same as before; also
the Sign of the Nag's
Head. Mount the Pran­
cer, c. get on the Horse's
Back.

Pranks, Tricks.

Pratts, c. Buttocks;
also a Tinder-box or
Touch-box.

Prating-cheat, c. a
Tongue.

Prateroast, a Talking
Boy.

Precarious, what is
Disputable and uncer­
tain, as being purely at
the Pleasure and Cour­
tesy of another.

Precaution, Forecast,
or the Wisdom of Pre­
vention, which is be­
yond that of Remedy.

Precipitate, Rash,
Headstrong, Unadvised,
Inconsiderate, hurrying
in Business.

Precisians, Strait-lac­
ed, Squeemish, Foolish­
ly Scrupulous.

Preservatives, Anti­
dotes to keep of, or
prevent Diseases.

Priest-craft, the Art of
awing the People, man­
aging their Consciences,
and diving into their
Purses.

Pretext, Show, Colour,
Pretence, or Excuse.

Prey, c. Money.

Prick, the first Head
of a Fallow Deer; also
a Skewer.

Pricker, a Huntsman
on Horse Back.

Pricketh, the Footing
of a Hare on the hard
Highway, when it can
be perceived.

Prick-ear'd Fellow, a
Crop, whose Ears are
longer than his Hair.

Prick-louse, a Taylor.

Prickt, decayed Wine,



tending to Sower. The
Prick and Praise of our
Town, that bears the Bell
from all the Rest, in all
Exercises, as Wrestling,
Running, Leaping, Vault­
ing, Pitching of the
Barr, &c.

Priest-link'd, Married.

Priest-ridden, wholly
influenc'd, and abso­
lutely govern'd by that
Tribe.

Prig, c. a Thief, a
Cheat; also a Nice
beauish, silly Fellow, is
called a meer Prig.

Priggs, c. the Ninth
Rank of Canting Rogues,
Thieves.

Priggers, c. Thieves.

Prigging, c. Riding;
Prigging, also Lying with a Wo­
man.

Prigster, c. a Rival
in Love.

Priggish, c. Thievish.

Prig-napper, c. a Horse-­
Stealer; also a Thief-­
taker.

Priggers of the Cacklers, 
c. Poultry-Stealers.

Priggers of Prancers, c.
the Sixth Order of the
Canting Crew, Horse-­
Stealers, who carry a
Bridle in their Pockets,
a small Pad Saddle in
their Breeches.

Primero, an old Ger­
man Game at Cards.

Prim, a silly empty
starcht Fellow.

Princock, a pert for­
ward Fellow.

Princes-metal, a mixt
Metal, betwixt Brass and
Copper, and of a mixt
Colour between both,
not so Pale as the one,
nor so red as the other,
the late Invention of
Prince Rupert.

Prince Prig, c. a King
of the Gypsies; also a
Top-Thief, or Recei­
ver General.

Prinking, nicely Dress­
ing. Prinks up set up on
the Cupboards-head in
their best Cloaths, or
in State. Stiff-starched.
Mistress Princum-Pran­
cum, such a one.

Print, the Treading
of a Fox. To set in Print,
with Mouth skrew'd up
and Neck Stretcht out.



Prisme, a Triangular
Crystal-Glass or Fools
Paradise, that by refrac­
tion reflects imaginary
Blew, Red, and Yellow
Colours upon all Ob­
jects seen through it; al­
so any Saw-dust.

Prittle-Prattle, idle
impertinent Chat.

Proclamation, his Head
is full of Proclamations,
much taken up to little
Purpose.

Prog, c. Meat. Rum
Prog, c. nice Eating.
The Cull tipt us Rum Prog,
c. the Gentleman Treat­
ed us very High.

Projectors, Busybodies
in new Inventions and
Discoveries, Virtuoso's
of Fortune, or Traders
in unsuccesful if not im­
practicable Whimms,
who are alwaies Digging
where there is no more
to be found.

Proling, Hunting or
Searching about in quest
of a Wench, or any
Game.

Property, a meer Tool,
or Implement, to serve
a Turn, a Cat's foot; al­
so a natural Quality or
Talent, and the highest
right a Man can have to
any thing, Liberty and
Property, two Inestima­
ble Jewells. To change
the Property, or give it
another turn, with a
new Dress. or the Dis­
guise of a Wig and a
false Beard.

Proud, Bitch, desirous
of Copulation.

Prying, Fellow, that is
very curious to enquire
into other Men's Secrets
and Affairs.

Provender, c. he from
whom any Money is
taken on the Highway.


P U

Puke, to Spue.

Pug, Pugnasty, a meer
Pug, a nasty Slut, a sor­
ry Jade, of a Woman;
also a Monkey.

Puling, Sickly.

Pummel, the Hilt, Han­
dle, or round Knob of a
Sword, or Saddle; also
to Beat. I Pummel'd his



Sides for him, I Beat him
soundly.

Pump, to wheedle Se­
crets out of any one;
also to drench, Bailives,
Serjeants, Pick-pockets,
&c. Pumpt dry, not a
Word left to say.

Pun, to Play with
Words and Sounds.

Punch, Brandy and
Water, with Limes or
Lemon-juice; also a
thick short Man. Punch
Nag, a short, thick, fat,
squat, strong Horse.

Punch-houses, Bawdy-­
houses.

Punchable, old passa­
ble Money, Anno 1695.

Punk, a little Whore.

Puny, Child, weak lit­
tle Puny Stomack. Puny
Judge, the Junior or
Youngest.

Pure, c. a Mistress.

Purest-pure, c. a Top-­
Mistress, or Fine Wo­
man.

Pupil-mongers, Tutors
at the Universities, that
have many Pupils, and
make a Penny of them.

Puritans, Puritanical,
those of the precise Cut,
strait-laced Precisians,
whining (as Osborn saies)
for a Sanctity God never
yet trusted out of Heaven.

Purl, Worm-wood in­
fus'd in Ale.

Purl-Royal, Canary
with a dash of Worm-­
wood.

Pursenets, c. Goods
taken upon Trust by
young Unthrifts at tre­
ble the Value; also a
little Purse.

Purse-proud, haughty
because Rich.

Pursy, Foggy, Fat.

Pushers, Canary-birds
new Flown that cannot
Feed themselves.

Pushing-School, a Fenc­
ing School; also a Baw­
dy-house. At a Push,
at a pinch or strait. At
Push of Pike, at Defiance.
Push-pinn, Childrens Play.
To Push on one's Fortune,
to advance, or run it up.

Put, A Country-Put, a
silly, shallow-pated Fel­
low. Put it to, Beset.




Q U

Quacking-cheat, c. a
Duck.

Quack, an Empirick,
or meer pretender to
Physic.

Quaffing, Quaff off, ca­
rousing, to carouse.

Quag, Quagmire, mar­
shy moorish Ground.

Quailing of the Stomack, 
beginning to be qual­
mish or uneasy.

Quail-pipe, a Woman's
Tongue; also a Device
to take the Birds of that
Name, which are fine
Food, the French es­
teem'd the best; tho'
both these and the Eng­
lish are of a Currish
Nature, and will beat
themselves against the
Cage, sides and top,
being with difficulty
brought to Feed: Wheat
is usually given them,
but Hempseed is a
great deal better.

Quaint, curious, neat;
also strange.

Quaking-cheat, c. a
Calf or a Sheep.

Qualified, Accomplisht,
Statesman, Soldier, Scho­
lar.

Qualifications, Accom­
plishments that render
any of them Compleat;
also Conditions.

Qually-Wines, Turbu­
lent and Foul.

Qualm, a Stomack-Fit;
also Calmness, and the
Cry of Ravens.

Qualmish, Crop-sick,
queasy Stomackt/

Quarrel-picker, a Gla­
zier; also a contentious
Fellow, a Trouble Com­
pany.

Quarron, c. a Body.

Quarte, Nails of the
Sword-Hand quite up.

Quarting upon the
streight Line, keeping
the Head and Shoulders
very much back from
the Adversary's Sword,
when one thrusts with
his own.

Quash, to Suppress,
Annul, or Overthrow.
To Quash the Indict­
ment.



Quean, a Whore, or
Slut. A dirty Quean, a
very Puzzel or Slut.

Queasy, Stomacht, Crop-­
sick, Qualmish.

Queen Elizabeth's Pock­
et-pistol, a Brass-Cannon
of a prodigious Length
at Dover-Castle.

Queere, c. base, Roguish,
naught. How Queerely the
Cull Touts? c. how ro­
guishly the Fellow looks.

Queere Birds, c. such
as having got loose, re­
turn to their old Trade
of Roguing and Thiev­
ing.

Queere-bluffer, c. a
sneaking, sharping, Cut-­
throat Ale-house or Inn-­
keeper.

Queere-bung, c. an
empty Purse.


Queere-clout, c. a sor­
ry, coarse, ord'nary or
old Handkerchief, not
worth Nimming.

Queere-cole, c. Clipt,
Counterfeit, or Brass
Money.

Queere-cole maker, c. a
false Coyner.

Queere-cole fencer, c. a
Receiver and putter off
false Money.

Queere-cove, c. a
Rogue.

Queere-cuffin, c. a Jus­
tice of Peace; also a
Churl.

Queere-cull, c. a Fop,
or Fool, a Codshead;
also a shabby poor Fel­
low.

Queere-degen, c. an Iron,
Steel, or Brass-hilted
Sword.

Queere-diver, c. a
bungling Pick-pocket.

Queere-doxy, c. a jil­
ting Jade, a sorry shab­
by Wench.

Queere-drawers, c.
Yarn, coarse Worsted,
ord'nary or old Stock­
ings.

Queere-duke, c. a poor
decayed Gentleman; al­
so a lean, thin, half Starv­
ed Fellow.

Queere-fun, c. a bang­
ling Cheat or Trick.

Queere-ken, c. an ill
House, or a Prison.

Queere-mort, c. a dirty
Drab, a jilting Wench,
a Pockey Jade.



Queere-nab, c. a Felt,
Carolina, Cloth, or or­
d'nary Hat, not worth
whipping off a Man's
Head.

Queere-kicks, c. coarse,
ord'nary or old Breeches.

Queere-peepers, c. old-­
fashioned, ord'nary,
black-fram'd, or com­
mon Looking-glasses.

Queere-prancer, c. a
Founder'd Jade, an or­
d'nary low-priz'd Horse.

Queere-topping, c. sor­
ry Commodes or Head-­
dresses.

Quibble, to Trifle, or
Pun. Sir Quibble Queere, a
trifling silly shatter-brain­
'd Fellow.

Quidds, c. Money.
Tip the Quidds, c. can
ye spend your Six­
pence.

Quietists, a Numerous
and considerable Sect a­
mongst the Papists, be­
ing against Oral and
wholly for Mental Pray­
er, Whiggs, Popish Pre­
cisians, or Puritans.

Quipps, Girds, Taunts,
Jeers, &c.

Quirks, in Law, Law-­
Tricks or Subtilties.

Quirks and Quillets, 
Tricks and Devices.

Quod, c. Newgate;
also any Prison, tho'
for Debt. The Dab's in
the Quod, c. the poor
Rogue is in Limbo.

Quota, c. Snack, Share,
Part, Proportion or Di­
vidend. Tip me my Quota,
c. give me my Part of
the Winnings, Booty,
Plunder, &c.


R A

Rabbet-suckers, c. young
Unthrifts taking up
Goods upon Tick at ex­
cessive rates.

Rabbit, the first Year.

Rabbits, Wooden Kanns
to Drink out of, once,
used on the Roads, now,
almost laid by.

Rabble, the Mob.

Racket, a Noise or
Bustle; also Tennis-play.
What a Racket those Ramps
keep? What a busel these
rude Children make?



Racking of Wines,  Draw­
ing them off their Lees
into fresh Vessels.

Rack-rent, strain'd to
the utmost Value. The
Knights of Cales, Gen­
tlemen of Wales, and
Lairds of the North Coun­
try, a Yeoman of Kent,
at Rack-rent, will buy
'em all Three. To lye at
Rack and Manger, to
live hard.

Rag, c. a Farthing.
Not a Rag left, c. I have
Lost or Spent, all my
Money.

Ragou, a Relishing
Bit, with a high Sawce.

Ragamuffin, a Tatter­
demallion.

Rag-water, a common
sort of Strong-waters.

Rake, Rake Hell, Rake­
shame, a Lewd Spark or
Deboshee, one that has
not yet Sowed his Wild
Oats, Rakish, tending to,
or leaning towards that
Extravagent way, of
Life. Rake, when the
Hawk flies out too far
from the Fowls; also
so much of the Ship's
Hull as overhangs both
Ends of the Keel; and
to Trot a Horse gently.

Ralph-Spooner, a Fool.Not found in OED.

Raillery, Drolling. To
Railly, or Droll. A Rail­
leur, or Droll.

Rally, to Unite or
embody broken Troops.

Rammish, Rank.

Ramp, a Tomrig, or
rude Girl. To Ramp, to
Play rude Horse-Play.

Rampant, uppish, over-­
bold, over-pert, over-­
lusty. A Lyon Rampant,
i.e. rearing up his Fore-­
feet.

Rangle, when Gravel
is given to a Hawk, to
bring her to a Stomack.

Ranging, c. intriguing,
and enjoying many Wo­
men.

Rank, rammish, strong-­
scented, as all the Fe­
tids, either Vegetables or
Animals, as Garlick, As­
safoetida, Polecats, Foxes,
Goats, &c. And what­
ever is Stale, Corrupt,
or Tainted, and Stinks,
with long or careless
Keeping. A Rank Lie,



a lewd or flat Lie. A
Rank Knave, an errant
base Knave. A Rank
Whore, an errant Whore.

Rank-rider, c. a High-­
way-man; also a Jockey.

Rank-wink'd, Hawk,
that is a slow Fligher.

Rant, to Talk Big,
High, or Boast much.

Ranters, Extravagents,
Unthrifts, Lewd Sparks;
also of the Family of Love.

Rantipole, a rude wild
Boy or Girl.

Rap, to Swop or Ex­
change a Horse or Goods;
also a Polt on the Pate,
and a hard Knocking
at a Door.

Rapparys, Wild Irish
Robbers, and Out-laws.

Rapper, a swinging
great Lie.

Raree-show-men, poor
Savoyards strolling up
and down with portable
Boxes of Puppet-shews
at their Backs; in short,
Pedlars of Puppets.

Rascal, a base, vile
Fellow, a Rogue.

Rascal-Deer, lean, poor,
out-lying Deer.

Rat, a Drunken Man
or Woman taken up by
the Watch, and carried
by the Constable to the
Counter. To smell a Rat,
to suspect a Trick.

Rattler, c. a Coach.

Rattling-cove, c. a
Coach-man.

Rattling Mumpers, c.
such Beggers as Ply
Coaches. To Rattle, c.
to move off, or be gone.
We'll take Rattle, c. we
must not tarry, but whip
away.

Rattling, the Noise of
Coaches and Carts; as
also of Armour, or of
Hail, or Thunder.

Rattle-pate, a Hot,
Maggot-pated Fellow.
I Rattled him, I Rated
him roundly, and told
him his own.

Rattleth, the Noise a
Goat maketh at Rutting
time.

Ravilliac, any Assa­
sin.Not found in OED.

Raw-head and Bloody-­
bones, a Bull-begger or
Scare-child.

Rayn-deer, a Beast like



a Hart, but has his Head
fuller of Antlers.


R E

Ready, c. Ready and
Rhino, c. Money in
Possession.

Rebel-rout, the Rab­
ble, running Riot.

Reaking, smoking or
piping-hot, as Pies out
of the Oven, Iron out
of the Forge, or Blood
from a warm Wound.
Hence perhaps the Reck,
or Reaking, i.e. Smoak
of the Clouds. I'll Reak
my Spite on him, I'll be
Revenged on him.

Rear the Boar, Dislodge
him.

Rebus's, Words or
Sentences that are the
same backwards as for­
wards.

Recheat, a Lesson
blown on the Horn.

Recorder, a musical
Instrument; also a Law-­
Officer or Magistrate in
Cities and Corporations,
their Mouth or Spokes­
man.

Recreant, a Poltron,
or Coward, one that
eats his Words, or un­
saies what he said.

Recruits, c. Money
(Expected.) Have you
rais'd the Recruits, c. is
the Money come in?

Red-fustian, Clarret or
red Port-Wine.

Red-letter-man, a Ro­
man-catholic.

Red-rag, a Tongue.
Your Red-rag will never
lie still, your Tongue
will ne're be quiet.

Red-shank, c. a Duck.

Refugies, French and
Vaudois Protestants, for­
ced to quit their own
and fly into others Coun­
tries to have the Exer­
cise of their Religion.

Refreshed, either as the
Air is with Winds, when
it Blows a Fresh Gale;
or artificially with the
motion of Fanns, or
opening the Windows
to Fann a close Room;
or as Wines are with
Snow and Ice; or by
casting a new Gloss, on
what is worn out, Wi­



thered, or Decaying, in
Bodies Artificial, as Em­
broidery by Burnishing,
or of Pictures by Var­
nishing, &c.

Rellif, Copulation of
Hares.See OED "relief", 2, 8.

Remember Parson Mal­
ham, (Norfolk) Pray
Drink about Sir.

Regraters, Fore-stallers
in Markets.

Repartee, a sudden
smart Reply.

Republican, a Com­
mon-wealths-man.

Reserve, a Store or
Hoard to have recourse
to, upon a Push or par­
ticular Exigence; a
Nest-Egg.

Repost, having given
a Thrust, to Receive
one from the Adversary
before he has recover'd
his Body.

Resty, Head-strong,
Wayword, Unruly, Mas­
terless.

Retailers, Parcel-tra­
ders, or Dealers, petty
Merchants, Hucksters,
Chandlers, Pedlars, &c.
In Retail, in Parcel or
small Sum, oppos'd to
what goes in Tale or
Sum at Large.

Retainers, a Great
Man's Followers or Ser­
vants, attending him
(heretofore) in Blew
Coats and Badges, which
were the Ancient Live­
ries, tho' little more re­
mains of it at present,
save what is left among
the Water-men. Hence
the word Retinue, or
Train of Attendance.

Revers'd, c. a Man
set (by Bullies) on his
Head, and his Money
turn'd out of his Bree­
ches.

Reward, what is given
the Hounds, or Beagles
by the Hands of the
Hunts-man or others, af­
ter they have finished
their Chase, by the
Death of what they
pursu'd.


R H

Rhino, c. ready Mo­
ney.

Rhinoceral, c. full of



Money. The Cull is Rhi­
noceral, c. the Fop is
full of Money.


R I

Rib, or Ribroasting, a
Dry-basting.

Ribbin, c. Money.
The Ribbin runs thick, c.
his Breeches are well
lined with Money. The
Ribbin runs thin, c. he
has but little Cash about
him.

Richess, (of Marterns)
a Company.

Rich-face, a Red-face.

Ridg-cully, c. a Gold­
smith.

Riff-raff, the Rab­
ble or Scum of the Peo­
ple, Tagrag and Long-­
tail.

Ridge, or row of Hills,
extended in a Line.

Ridicule, to Railly or
turn any thing to a Jest.
To turn it all to Ridicule.
to make a Mock of it.

Rigging, c. Cloaths.
I'll Unrig the Bloss, c.
I will Strip the Wench.
Rum Rigging, c. fine
Cloaths. The Cull has
Rum Rigging, let's Ding
him, and Mill him, and
Pike, c. the Man has
very good Cloths, let us
Knock him Down, Rob
him, and Scour off.

Rill, a Rivulet, or
small River.

Ring, c. Money ex­
torted by Rogues on the
High-way, or by Gen­
tlemen Beggers. A Ring,
a Concourse of People
for Wrestling, Cudgel-­
playing, &c. A Ring of
Hills, a round Circle of
Hills.

Ring-walks, the Dew-­
rounds made by Hunts-­
men, when they go
drawing in their Springs
at Hart-Hunting.

Ripe, ready, come to
maturity. Matters are
not yet Ripe, not ready, or
come to Perfection.

Riveted, or Rooted,
Customs, or Habits; 
inveterate or confirmed
Diseases.


R O

Roam, to wander



far and wide from
Home.

Roberds-men, c. the
third (old) Rank of
the Canting Crew,
mighty Thieves, like
Robin-hood.

Rochester-portion, two
torn Smocks, and what
Nature gave.Not found in OED.

Roe, A Fair Roe-buck,
the fifth Year; a Roe-­
buck of the first Head,
the fourth Year; a He­
muse, the third Year;
a Gyrle, the second Year;
a Kid, the first Year;
a Roe Beddeth, Lodgeth;
a Roe Belloweth, maketh
a Noise at Rutting time.

Roger, c. a Portman­
tle, a Goose; also a
Man's Yard.

Rogues, c. the fourth
Order of Canters. A
Rogue in Grain, a very
great Rogue. A Great-­
he-rogue, a sturdy swing­
ing Rogue.

Romance, a feigned
pleasant History. To
Romance, to Lie pleasant­
ly, to Stretch in Dis­
course,

Romboyles, c. Watch
and Ward.

Romboyl'd, c. sought
after with a Warrant.

Romer, a drinking
Glass; also wider.

Rook, c. a Cheat, a
Knave. To Rook, c. to
Cheat or play the
Knave.

Rope, Upon the High-­
ropes, Cock-a-hoop. Give
him Rope enough and he'll
Hang himself, he'll De­
coy himself within his own Destiny.

Rosy-gills, c. Sanguine
or fresh-colour'd.

Rost-meat-cloths, Holi­
day-cloths. You cannot
fare well, but you must
cry Rost-meat, you can't
meet with good Chear,
but you must tell Tales.
To give one Rost-meat, and
Beat him with the Spit, to
do one a Curtesy, and
Twit or Upbraid him
with it. To rule the Rost,
to be Master, or Para­
mount. Roasted, Arrested.
I'll Roast the Dab, I will
Arrest the Rascal.



Rot-gut, very small or
thin Beer.

Rovers, Pirates, Wan­
derers, Vagabonds. To
Shoot at Rovers, at Ran­
dom. To Rove about, to
wander idly up and
down.

Rough, Unpolisht, Un­
mannerly, Uncouth.
To lie Rough, in one's
Clothes all Night.

Round-dealing, Plain,
Honest Dealing.

Round-summ, a Lusty-­
Summ.

Round-heads, the Par­
liamentarian Party in
the great Rebellion, that
begun 1641.

Rout, (of Wolves) a
Company.

Rouse, (the Buck)
Dislodge him.

Rawland-for-an-Oliver, 
to give as good as he
brought.

Roysters, c. rude, Roar­
ing Rogues.


R U

Rub, c. to Run away.
A Rub, an Impediment,
Obstacle, Hinderance,
Stop, or Difficulty.
Rub on, or Live indiffe­
rently. Rub'd off, c.
Broke, and run away.
Rub through the World, to
Live Tollerably well in
it.

Rubbers, Two (and
sometimes Three) Games
to make up; also a Ren­
counter with drawn
Sword, and Reflections
made upon any one.

Rub-rub, us'd on Greens
when the Bowl Flees too
fast, to have it forbear,
if Words wou'd do it.

Rub-up, or refresh the
Memory.

Rub-up, or Scower
Armour, &c.

Rubs us to the Whit, c.
sends us to Newgate.

Ruby-face, very red.

Ruck, a Bumble, or
Heap.

Rud, a small Fish with
a forked Tail, between
which and the Roach,
there is much about the
same difference, as be­
tween the Herring and
the Pilchard.



Ruff, an old-fashioned
double Band; also a no­
ted Bird; and a Fish,
Pope, like a small Pearch,
and when the Hawk
hits the Prey, and yet
not Truffles it.

Ruffin, c. the Devil;
also a Justice of Peace,
and also an Assasin.

Rufflers, c. the first
Rank of Canters; also
notorious Rogues. To
Ruffle, to disorder any
thing.

Ruffmans, c. the
Woods or Bushes.

Ruff-peck, c. Bacon.
As the Ruffin nab the
Cuffin queere, and let the
Harmanbeck Trine with
his Kinchins about his Col­
quarron, c. let the Devil
take Justice, and let the
Constable Hang with his
Children about his Neck.

Ruffter-hood, a plain
and easy Leather-hood
worn by a Hawk, when
first drawn.

Rug, It's all Rug, c.
the Game is secured.

Rum, c. gallant, Fine,
Rich, best or excellent;
also a West-Indian
Drink stronger than
Brandy, drawn from
Dreggs of Sugar for the
most part, yet some­
times from Fruits, and
Rows of Fish; best
when old, much us'd in
Punch.

Rumly, c. bravely,
cleaverly, delicately, &c.

Rum-booze, c. Wine;
also very good or strong
Drink.

Rum-boozing-Welts, c.
bunches of Grapes.

Rum-beck, c. any
Justice of the Peace.

Rum-bob, c. a young
Prentice; also a sharp,
sly Trick, and a pretty
short Wig.

Rum-bite, c. a cleaver
Cheat, a neat Trick.

Rum-bleating-cheat, c.
a very fat Weather.

Rum-blower, c. a very
Handsom Mistress, kept
by a particular Man.

Rum-bluffer, c. a jolly
Host, Inn-keeper, or
Victualler.

Rum-bughar, c. a very



Pretty and Valuable
Dog.Not found in OED.

Rum-boung, c. a ful
Purse.

Rum-bubber, c. a clea­
ver or dextrous Fellow
at Stealing Silver-Tan­
kards (formerly) from
Publick Houses.

Rum-cod, c. a good
Purse of Gold, or round
Summ of Money.

Rum-cove, c. a great
Rogue.

Rum-cull, c. a rich
Fool, that can be easily
Bit, or Cheated by any
body; also one that is
very generous and kind
to a Mistress, and as.

Rum-chub, c. which is
(among the Butchers)
one that is easily per­
swaded to believe what
they say of the Good­
ness, and also to give
them an extraord'nary
Price for their Meat, a
very ignorant Market-­
Man or Woman, that
Laies out a great deal
of Money with, and is
Bit by them.

Rum-clout, c. a Silk, fine
Cambrick, or Holland
Handkerchief.

Rum-cole, c. new Mo­
ney, or Medals, curi­
ously Coyn'd.

Rum-dropper, c. a Vint­
ner.

Rum-duke, c. a jolly
handsom Man.

Rum-dutchess, c. a jol­
ly handsom Woman.

Rum-dukes, c. the bol­
dest or stoutest Fellows
(lately) amongst the
Alsatians, Minters, Sa­
voyards, &c. Sent for
to remove and guard
the Goods of such Bank­
rupts as intend to take
Sanctuary in those Pla­
ces.

Rum-doxy, c. a Beauti­
ful Woman, or light
Lady.

Rum-degen, c. a Sil­
ver-hilted or inlaid
Sword.

Rum-dell, c. as Rumdoxy.

Rum-diver, c. a com­
pleat, or cleaver Pick-­
pocket.

Rum-drawers, c. Silk
Stockings, or very fine
Worsted Hose.



Rum-dubber, c. an ex­
perienc'd or expert Pick­
er of Locks.

Rumford-Lyon, a
Calf.

Rum-fun, c. a cleaver
Cheat, or sharp Trick.

Rum-file, c. as Rum-­
diver.

Rum-gutlers, c. Ca­
nary-Wine.Not found in OED.

Rum-glimmer, c. King
or Chief of the Link-­
boies.

Rum-ghelt, c. as Rum-­
cole.

Rum-hopper, c. a Draw­
er. Rum-hopper, tip us
presently a Boozing-cheat
of Rum-gutlers, c. Draw­
er fill us presently a Bot­
tle of the best Canary.

Rum-kicks, c. Silver
or Gold Brocade Bree­
ches, or very rich with
Gold or Silver Galoon.

Rum-mawn'd, c. one
that Counterfeits him­
self a Fool.Possibly OED "mow," v. 3.

Rum-mort, c. a Queen,
or great Lady.

Rum-nab, c. a Bea­
ver, or very good Hat.

Rum-ned, c. a very sil­
ly Fellow.Antedates OED "ned," n.2 (1910)?

Rum nantz, c. true
French Brandy.

Rum-pad, c. the High-­
way.

Rum-padders, c. the
better sort of Highway-­
men, well Mounted and
Armed.

Rum-peepers, c. a Silver
Looking-glass.

Rump-and-Kidney-Men, 
c. Fidlers that Play at
Feasts, Fairs, Weddings,
&c. And Live chiefly
on the Remnants, of
Victuals.

Rumbling, the roll­
ing of Thunder, moti­
on of a Wheel-barrow,
or the noise in the Gutts.

Rum-prancer, c. a ve­
ry beautiful Horse.

Rum-quidds, c. a great
Booty, or large Snack.

Rum-ruff-peck, c. West­
phalia-Ham.

Rum-squeeze, c. much
Wine or good Liquor
given among the Fid­
lers.

Rum-snitch, c. a good
fillip on the Nose.

Rum-tol, c. as Rum-degen,



the newest Cant of the
two.Not found in OED.

Rum-tilter, c. as Rumtol.

Rum-topping, c. a rich
commode or Head-­
dress.

Rum-ville, c. London.

Rum-wiper, c. as Rum-­
clout.

Run-ryot, to turn Spark,
and run out of all; also
when Hounds run at a
whole Herd of Deer.

Running-stationers, 
Hawkers, or those that
cry News and Books a­
bout the Streets.

Runt, a little, short,
truss Man or Beast.

Runts, Canary-Birds
above three Years old.

Runner, c. as Budge;
also a Galley, or nim­
ble Vessel, to make
quick Voyages, as also
to escape Privateers,
Pirates, &c.

Rup, a filthy Boil, or
Swelling on the Rump
of Poultry, Corrupting
the whole Body, Cured
with Salt and Water.

Rustic, a clownish
Country Fellow.

Rustygutts, an old blunt
Fellow.Not found in OED.

Rutt, Copulation (of
Deer).


S A

Sack, c. a Pocket.
Dive into his Sack, c. to
Pick his Pocket.

Sails, Hawk's Wings;
also Windmill-wings.
How you Sail about? How
you Santer about?

Salamander, a Bomb-­
vessel; also a certain
Creature (said) to Live
in the Fire, and a Stone
(lately) found in Pensyl­
vania full of Cotton,
which will not (as a
modern Author affirms)
consume in the Fire;
and a red-hot Iron to
light Tobacco with.

Salesmen, Brokers
who sell Cattel for the
Graziers to the Butchers,
before, and at the Beast-­
Market; also Sellers of
ready-made Cloaths.

Salesman's-dog, the
same as Barker.



Sally, a fit of Passion,
or Humor.

Salmon, c. the Beg­
gers Sacrament or Oath.

Salt, Lecherous, Proud.
To come after with Salt
and Spoons, of one that
is none of the Hastings.

Salt-cel, a Rope's end
used to Drub the Boies
and Sailors on board of
Ship.Not found in OED.

Salvages, Barbarous
People, Inhabiting near
the Sea-Coasts in the
Maritim Countries, who
make a Prey of
what the Sea has (in
Pity) spared, Living
up on the Spoil of Ship-­
wrecks.

Samlets, so called the
Spring following after
they are Spawn'd, and
tho' then but a little big­
ger than a Minnow,
will (as Authors say)
grow to be a Salmon,
in as short a time as a
Goslin will to be a Goose.

Sandy-pate, one red-­
hair'd.

Sap-pate, a Fool.

Saunter, to loiter Idly,
a Term borrowed from
those Religious Coun­
terfeits, who under the
Colour of Pilgrimages,
to the Holy Land, us'd
to get many Charities,
crying still, Sainct terre,
Sainct terre, having no­
thing but the Holy Land
in their Mouths, tho'
they stay'd alwaies at
Home.

Saucy, impudent,
bold. More sauce than Pig.
Your Sauce-pan runs over,
you are exceeding bold.

Sawny, a Fool. He's
a meer Sawny, he is ve­
ry soft tho' (in Scotch)
it is only for Alexan­
der.


S C

Scab, a sorry Wench,
or Scoundril-Fellow.

Scamper, c. to run a­
way, or Scowre off, ei­
ther from Justice, as
Thieves, Debtors, Cri­
minals that are pursued;
or from ill fortune, as
Soldiers that are repulst
or worsted.



Scandalous, c. a Peri­
wig.

Scandal-proof, a
thorough pac'd Alsati­
an, or Minter, one har­
den'd, or past Shame.

School-butter, a Whip­
ping. I School'd him, I
chid him severely.

School of Venus, c. a
Bawdy-house.

Sconce, to build a large
Sconce, to run deep upon
Tick, or Trust.

Scotch-hobby, a little
sorry, scrubbed, low Horse
of that Country.

Scotch mist, a sober,
soaking Rain.

Scoundrel, a Hedge-­
bird or sorry Scab.

Scoure, c. to wear. To
Scoure the Cramp-rings, c.
to wear Bolts.

Scout, c. a Watch.

Scowre, c. to run a­
way or scamper. Let us
Scowre, or we shall be Bo­
ned, c. let us run away
or we shall be Taken.

Scowrers, c. Drunk­
ards, beating the Watch,
breaking Windows,
clearing the Streets, &c.

Scrip, c. a shred or
scrap of Paper. As the
Cully did freely blot the
Scrip, and tipt me 40
Hogs, c. one enter'd in­
to Bond with me for
40 Shillings.

Scrub, a Ragamuffin.

Scrubado, the Itch.

Scrape-all, a Money-­
Scrivener; also a mise­
rable wretch, or grip­
ing Fellow.

Screw, to Screw one up,
to exact upon one, or
Squeeze one in a Bar­
gain or Reckoning.

Scud, the course, or
motion of the Clouds,
in Fleeting.

Scud-away, to Sail,
Ride, or Run very fast.

Scumm, the Riff-Raff,
or Tagrag and Long-­
tail. Rake Hell and Skim
the Devil.

Scut, the Tail of a
Hare or Coney.

Scuttle, to run away;
also a square hole to go
down through the Deck.




S E

Sealer, c. one that
gives Bonds and Judg­
ments for Goods and
Money.

Season of Beasts, a Hart
or Buck begins at the
end of the Fencer-Month,
15 Days after Midsum­
er-day, and lasteth till
Holyrood-day. The
Fox till Christmas, and
lasteth till the Annunti­
ation of the blessed Vir­
gin. The Hinde or Doe
at Holyrood-day, till
Candlemass, The Roe-­
buck at Easter, till Mi­
chaelmas. The Roe at
Michaelmas till Candle­
mass. The Hare at
Michaelmas, till the end
of February. The Wolf
from Christmas, till the
Annunciation of the
blessed Virgin. The
Boar at Christmas, and
continues to the Purifi­
cation of our Lady.

Second-sighted, such as
(they say) can, and do
see Spirits, Appariti­
ons, &c.

Secret, let into the Se­
cret, c. when one is
drawn in at Horse-rac­
ing, Cock-fighting, Bowl­
ing, and other Sports or
Games, and Bit.

Seeling, when a Hawk
first taken, is so blinded
with a Thred run
through the Eye-lids,
that she Seeth not, or
very little, the better to
make her endure the
Hood; also a sudden
healing forced by the
motion of the Sea or
Wind.

Seraglio, a Bawdy-­
house; also the Great
Turk's Palace.

Seraglietto, a lowsy,
sorry Bawdy-house, a
meer Dog-hole.Not found in OED.

Setters, or Setting-­
dogs, they that draw in
Bubbles, for old Game­
sters to Rook; also a
Sergeant's Yeoman, or
Bailiff's Follower, or Se­
cond, and an Excise-­
Officer to prevent the
Brewers defrauding the
King.

Sewet, Deer's Grease.




S H

Shabby, in poor, sor­
ry Rigging.

Shaberoon, a Raga­
muffin.

Shab'd-off, sneakt, or
slid away.

Shaftesbury, a Gallon-­
pot full of Wine, with
a Cock.

Shag-bag, a poor,
shabby Fellow.

Shallow-pate, a foolish,
silly, empty Fellow.

Sham, c. a Cheat, or
Trick. Cut a Sham, c.
to play a Rogue's Trick.

Shamble-Legg'd, one
that goes wide, and
shuffles his feet about
Shake your Shambles,
haste, begon.

Shameless, a bold for­
ward Blade.

Shanks, Leggs. There's
Shanks! there's ill Leggs.

Shanker, a little Scab
or Pox on the Nut or
Glans of the Yard.

Shappeau, c. or Shap­
po, c. from Chappeau, a
Hat, the newest Cant,
Nab being very old, and
grown too common.Not found in OED.

Shapes, said (often)
to an ill-made Man.
Show your Shapes, turn
about, march off, be
gone. Great in more Shapes,
great in more Professi­
ons, or Capacities. Great
in all Shapes, great in all
the Branches of any one,
or more Professions : As,
great in all the Parts or
Branches of the Law;
(an universal Lawyer)
Great in all the Parts or
Branches of Learning.
(an universal Scholar)

Shark, c. a Sharper;
also a Large voracious
Fish.

Sharper, c. a Cheat,
one that Lives by his
Witts.

Sharp, subtil, ready,
quick or nimble-witted,
forward, of lively Ap­
prehension; also Poor
and Needy.

Sharper-tools, c. false
Dice.Antedates earliest OED citation for an attributive sense.

Sharp-set, very Hun­
gry.

Shaver, a Cunning



Shaver, a subtil, smart,
Fellow. He Shaves close,
he gripes, squeezes, or
extorts very severely.

Shavings, c. the Clip­
pings of Money.

She is with Cub, when
the Fox hath Young
ones in her.

She-napper, c. a Wo­
man Thief-catcher; al­
so a Cock (he) or Hen
(she) Bawd, a Procu­
ress and Debaucher of
young Virgins; a Mai­
den-head-jobber.Not found in OED.

Sheep-biter, a poor,
sorry, sneaking, ill-lookt
Fellow.

Sheepish, (Fellow)
bashful, peaking.

Sheep's-head, a Fool, a
Block-head.

Sheep-shearers, c. Cheats.

Shie, coy, squeamish,
cold, or averse.

Shift the Scene, call
a new Cause, or change
the Discourse.

Shock, a Brunt. To
stand the Shock, to bear
the brunt.

Shocking, what is of­
fensive, grating, griev­
ous.

Shop, c. a prison.

Shopt, c. imprison'd.

Shop-lift, c. one that
Steals under pretence of
Cheap'ning.

Shoe-makers-stocks, pincht
with strait Shoes. No
Man knows where the
Shoe pinches but he that
wears it, or another's
Cross like him that
bears it. Who goes worse
Shod than the Shoe-maker's
Wife? One Shoe will not
fit all Feet, Men are not
all of a Size, nor all
Conveniences of a Last.
To throw an old Shoe af­
ter one, or wish them
good Luck in their Bu­
siness.

Short-pots, false,
cheating Potts used at
Ale-houses, and Brandy-­
shops.

Shot, Shotlings, large,
lean Piggs bought to fat­
ten. To Pay one's Shot,
to Pay one's Club or
Proportion.Not found in OED in this sense (explained as sheep or lamb, not pig).

Shot 'twixt Wind and
Water, Clapt, or Poxt.

Shoulder-clapper, c. a
Sergeant or Bailiff.

Shoulder-sham, c. a
Partner to a File.



Shove the Tumbler, c.
to be Whipt at the
Cart's Tail.See OED, "shove," v.1, 10.

Shred, a Tailer.

Shrieketh, the Noise
a Badger makes at Rut­
ting Time.

Shrouds, burying Cloths,
(now) Woollen, (an­
ciently) Linnen; also
Steps or Ladders (on
board of Ship) to go
up to the Topps.

Shuffler, a Bird like,
but not so big as a Duck,
having a broader Bill.

Shuffling-Fellow, a slip­
pery, shifting Fellow.

Shurk, c. a Sharper.


S I

Sice, c. Six-pence.

Sickrel, a puny, sickly
Creature.Sole example in OED.

Siege, a Stool to set
upon; also used by Phy­
sicians to their Patients.
How many Sieges have you
had? i.e. How many
Stools have you had?
Upon taking a Purge,
&c.

Simkin, a Fool

Simon, c. Six-pence.Sole example in OED.

Simples, Follies; also
Plants or Physical Herbs.
He must be cut of the Sim­
ples, Care must be taken
to cure him of his Fol­
ly.

Simpleton, a silly Crea­
ture, or Tony.

Single, the Tail of a
Hart, Buck or other
Deer.

Singler, or Sanglier, a
wild Boar after the 4th
Year.

Single-ten, a very fool­
ish, silly Fellow; also
Nails of that size.

Sir John, the Country-­
Vicar or Parson.

Sir Timothy, one that
Treats every Body, and
Pays the Reckonings
every where.

Six and eightpence, c.
the usual Fee given, to
carry back the Body of
the Executed Malefactor,
to give it a Christian Bu­
rial.


S K

Skew, c. a Beggar's



Wooden Dish. To look a
Skew, or on one side.

Skew-fisted, awkward,
ungainly.

Skin-flint, a griping,
sharping, close-fisted Fel­
low.

Skinker, that fills the
Glass or Cup.  Who
Skinks? Who pours out
the Liquor.

Skipper, c. a Barn;
also a Dutch Master of
a Ship or Vessel.

Skip-jacks, c. young­
sters that Ride the Horses
for Sale.

Skip-kennel, a Foot-­
boy, or Laquais.


S L

Slam, c. a Trick; al­
so a Game entirely lost
without getting one on
that side.

Slat, c. a Sheet.Sense not found in OED "slat", n.1.

Slate, c. a half Crown.

Sleeping House, with­
out Shop, Ware-house,
or Cellar, only for a
private Family.

Sleeveless-errand, such
as Fools are sent on, the
first of April.

Sleeveless-story, a Tale
of a Tub, or of a Cock
and a Bull. To laugh in
one's Sleeves, inwardly
slyly.

Slice, when a Hawk
Muteth a great distance
from her.Not found in OED.

Slippery Trick, or Fel­
low, deceitful, as having
two properties of Ice,
smooth and slippery.

Slot, the footing of
a Hart.

Slough, a deep miry
Hole.

Slubber'd over, Work
slightly wrought, or hud­
dled up in haste.

Slubber-degullion, a
slovenly, dirty, nasty
Fellow.

Slug, a drone, or dull
Tool; also a Bullet, beat
into another Shape.

Slur, c. a Cheat at
Dice; also a slight Scan­
dal or Affront.

Sly-boots, a seeming
Silly, but subtil Fellow.


S M

Smack, a Tang, or ill
Taste.



Smacking-cove, c. a
Coachman.

Smart-money, given
by the King, when a
Man in Land or Sea-­
Service has a Leg Shot
off or Cut off, or is disa­
bled.

Smart, witty, sharp;
also pain.

Smatterer, one half-­
learned. A Smattering.
a slight Tincture in any
Skill or Learning.

Smeller, c. a Nose.

Smelling-cheat, c. a
Nose-gay; also an Or­
chard or Garden.

Smelts, c. half Guineas.
Tip me a Smelt, c. Pri­
thee lend me half a Gui­
nea.

Smirk, a finical, spruce
Fellow. To Smirk, to
look pleasantly.

Smiter, c. an Arm.

Smash, c. to kick
down Stairs. The Chub­
bs, toute the Blosses, they
Smash, and make them
brush, c. the Sharpers catch
their Mistresses at the
Tavern, making merry
without them, Kick
them down Stairs, and
force them to rub off.

Smock-fac'd, fair Snout.

Smoke, to Smoke or
Smell a Design. It is
Smok't, c. it is made
Public, all have notice.
Smoke him, Smoke him a­
gain, to affront a Stran­
ger at his coming in.

Smoker, a Vessel to
Blind the Enemies, to
make way for the Ma­
chine to Play; also a
Tobacconist.

Smoky, c. Jealous. No
Smoke but there is some Fire
as no Reeds but there is some
Water, of a thing that
will out, because Smoke
is a sign of one, and
Reeds or Rushes of the
other.

Smug, a Black-smith;
also neat and spruce.

Smuglers, c. those that
Cheat the King of his
Customs by private Im­
ports and Exports.

Smutty, Bawdy.


S N

Snack, c. share or



part, to go Snacks, c. to
go halves or share and
share alike. Tip me my
Snack, or else I'll Whid­
dle, c. Give me my
share, or I'll tell.

Snaffle, c. a Highway-­
man that has got Booty.

Snaggs, large Teeth;
also Snails.

Snappish, (a Man)
peevish, quarrelsome; (a
Dog) apt to Bite.

Snapt, Taken, Caught.

Sneak, c. goes upon the
Sneak at Munns, c. he
privately gets into Hou­
ses or Shops at Night,
and Steals undiscover'd.
A Sneaking Budge, c.
one that Robbs, alone.

Sneaker, (of Punch)
a small Bowl.

Sneaking, sheepish, or
mean-spirited.

Snearing, flickering,
fleering.

Snickering, Laughing
in his Sleeves or privately.

Snilch, c. to Eye or
See any Body. The Cull
Snilches, c. the man Eyes
you or Sees you.

Snitch, c. Snitchel, c.
a Filip on the Nose.

Snite, c. to Wipe, or
Flap. Snite his Snitch,
c. Wipe his Nose, or
give him a good Flap on
the Face. Sniting, a
Hawk's Sneezing.

Sniveling-Fellow, a
Whining Fellow.

Snow-broth, Snow-­
water.

Snub, to Check, or
Rebuke.

Snuff, Pet; also To­
bacco taken in Snush.

Snuffle, to Speak
through the Nose from
a Cold or worse.

Snudge, c. one that
lurks under a Bed, to
watch an opportunity to
Rob the House.


S O

Sock, c. a Pocket;
also to Beat. Not a
Rag in my Sock, c. I han't
a Farthing in my Pocket.
I'll Sock ye, c. I'll Drub
ye tightly.

Socket-money, Demand­
ed and Spent upon
Marriage.



Soft, Foolish.

Sohoe, Seehoc, said
aloud at the starting a
Hare.

Soker, a Toper, or
Fuddle-cap. An old
Soker, a true Pitcher-­
man. To set Soking, to
ply the Pot.

Soldier's-bottle, a large
one.

Solomon, c. the Mass.Not found in OED in this sense.

Son of Apollo, a Scholar.

Son of Mars, a Soldier.

Son of Venus, a Lover of
Women.

Son of Mercury, a Wit.

Son of Parelement, a Lawyer.

Sooterkin, a By-word
upon the Dutch Women,
from a Maggot, or Fancy,
that their using Stoves
so much, Breeds a kind
of Animal in their
Wombs, like a Mouse,
which at their Delivery
skips out.

Soreth, the Footings of
a Hare in the open
Field.

Sorrel-pate, red Hair'd.

Sorter, (at the Post
Office) that puts or
Digests the Letters into
Order or Method.

Soul-driver, a Parson.
He is a Soul, or loves Bran­
dy. Of a Noble Soul, ve­
ry generous. A Narrow-­
Soul'd Fellow, a poor-­
spirited, or stingy Fel­
low.

Souldiers-Mawn'd, c.
a Counterfeit Sore or
Wound in the Left Arm.

Sounder, a Company
of Swine, or wild-­
Boars.

Soupe, Broth, Por­
ridge.

Souse, Not a Souse, not
a Penny. (French Mo­
ney).

Sow's-baby, a Pig.

Sowse-crown, a Fool.Sole example in OED "slat".

Sow-child, a Female
Child. He has the wrong
Sow by the Ear, or is in
a wrong Box.

Sowre, Crabbed, Surly,
Ill-conditioned.

Soyl, when any Deer
is hard Hunted, and be­
takes himself to Swim­
ming in any River.OED, "soil," n.3, 2.a.




S P

Spangles, c. ends of
Gold or Silver.

Spanish-gout, the Pox.

Spanish-money, fair
Words and Compli­
ments.

Spark, a spruce, trim,
gay Fellow. A lewd
Spark, a Man of the
Town, or Debauchee.

Sparring-blows, the
first Strokes to try the
goodness of young
Cock Heels; also those
in a Battel before the
Cocks come to Mouth it.

Sparrow-mouth'd, a
Mouth o Heavenly
wide, as Sir P. Sidney
calls it.

Speckt-wiper, c. a co­
lour'd Handkerchief.

Spider-catcher, a Spin­
dle for a Man.

Spider's-web, the sub­
tilties of Logic, which
(as Aristo the Chiote
said) tho' artificial to
sight, were yet of no Use.

Spill, a small Reward
or gift of Money.

Spindle-shankt, very
small-legg'd.

Spirit-away, as Kid­
nap.

Spiritual-flesh-broker, a
Parson.

Spitter, a red Male
Hart of a Year old.

Splenetic, Melancho­
lic.

Split-fig, a Grocer.

Splitter-of-Causes, a
Lawyer.

Split my windpipe, a
foolish kind of a Curse
among the Beaux.

Spraints, the Excre­
ments of an Otter.

Spring a Partridge, c.
People drawn in, to be
Bit. To spring Partridge's,
to raise them. A Springe,
a Snare, or Nooze, to
catch Hares, as a Ginn
is a Snare or Nooze to
catch Birds.

Spunge, to drink at
others Cost. Spunging-­
house, a By-prison. A
Spunging Fellow, one that
lives upon the rest and
Pays nothing.




S Q

Squab, a very fat, truss
Person, a new Hatcht
Chick; also a Couch.

Squinte-fuego, one that
Squints very much.

Squeak, c. to discover,
or impeach; also to cry
out. They Squeak beef
upon us, c. cry out High-­
way-men or Thieves
after us. The Cull Squeek's,
c. the Rogue Peaches.

Squeeker, c. a Barboy;
also a Bastard, or any
other child. Stifle the
Squeeker, c. to Murder
the Child and throw it
into a House of Office/

Squawl, to throw a
wry; also to cry a loud.

Squeamish, nice.

Squeeze, to gripe, or
skrew hard.

Squeezing of Wax, be­
ing Bound for any Body;
also sealing of Writings.

Squire of Alsatia, a
Man of Fortune, drawn
in, cheated, and ruin'd
by a pack of poor, lowsy,
spunging, bold Fellows
that liv'd (formerly)
in White-Fryers. The
Squire, a Sir Timothy
Treat-all; also a Sap-pate.
Squirish, foolish; also one
that pretends to Pay all
Reckonings, and is not
strong enough in the
Pocket. A fat Squire, a
rich Fool.


S T

Stag, Staggard, see
Hart.

Stallion, c. a Whore-­
Master; also a Stone-­
Horse kept to cover
Mares.

Stall-whimper, c. a
Bastard.

Stalling, c. making or or­
daining.

Stalling-ken, c. a Bro­
ker's Shop, or any House
that receives stolen-­
Goods.

Stale jest, old, dull.

Stale Maid, at her last
Prayers.

Stam-flesh, c. to Cant.Not found in OED.

Stammel, a brawny,
lusty, strapping Wench.

Stamps, c. Legs.



Stampers, c. Shoes;
also Carriers.

Starched, affected,
proud, stiff.

Start, (Drink) Brew­
ers emptying several Bar­
rels into a great Tub,
and thence conveying it
through a Leather-pipe
down the Cellar into
the Butts.

Starter, c. a Question.
I am no Starter, I shan't
flinch, or cry to go home.

Start the Hare, put her
up.

Statues, either Images
in Brass or Stone, or
Men without motion.

Steenkirk, a Muslin-­
neckcloath carelessly put
on, first, at the Battel of
Steenkirk, afterwards a
Fashion for both Sexes.

Steppony, a Decoction
of Raisins of the Sun,
and Lemons in Conduit-­
water, sweetned with
Sugar and Bottled up.

Stern, the Tail of a
Wolf; also the hind part
of a Ship.

Stick-flamms, c. a pair
of Gloves.Not found in OED.

Stickle-bag, a very
small prickly Fish, with­
out Scales, a choice Bait
for a Trout. A great Stick­
ler, a zealous Man in
the Cause or Interest he
espouses. It Sticks in his
Stomack, he resents it.

Stiff, Sti-ffrump, proud,
stately.

Sting-bum, a Niggard.

Stingo, humming, strong
Liquor.

Stingy, covetous, close-­
fisted, sneaking.

Stitch, a Tayler.

Stitch-back, very strong
Ale.

Stock-jobbing, a sharp,
cunning, cheating Trade
of Buying and Selling
Shares of Stock in East-­
India, Guinea and other
Companies; also in the
Bank, Exchequer, &c.

Stock-drawers, c. Stock­
ings.

Stone ,
Dead, quite.
Doublet, a Prison.

Stop-hole Abbey, c. the
Nick-name of the chief
Rendezvous of the Can­
ting Crew of Gypsies, Beg­
gers, Cheats, Thieves, &c.



Stop my Vitals, a silly
Curse in use among the
Beaux.

Stoter, c. a great Blow.
Stoter him, c. or tip
him a Stoter, c. settle
him, give him a swing­
ing Blow.

Stout, very strong,
Malt-Drink.

Stow, c. you have
said enough. Stow you
bene Cove, c. hold your
Peace good Fellow. Stow
your Whidds and Plant 'em;
for the Cove of the Ken
can cant 'em, Take care
what you say, for the
Man of the House un­
derstands you; also to
hoard Treasure, or lay
up Corn in Granaries or
Drink in Cellars. Hence
Stoward, or Steward.

Strain-hard, to ly
heartily.

Strait-lac'd, precise,
squeemish, puritanical,
nice.

Straping, c. lying with
a Wench.

Strapping-Lass, a swing­
ing two-handed Woman.

Stress of weather, foul
weather at Sea. At a
Stress, at a pinch.

Stretching, hanging.
He'll Stretch for it, he'll
be Hang'd. He Stretcht
hard, told a whisking
Ly.

Stretcher, the piece of
Wood that lies cross the
Boat, where on the Wa­
ter-man rests his Feet.

Strike, c. to Beg, to
Rob; also to borrow
Money. Strike all the
Cheats, c. Rob all you
meet. Strike the Cull, c.
Beg of that Gentleman.
Strike the Cly, c. get that
Fellow's Money from
him. He has Struck the
Quidds, c. he has got the
Cole from him. He Strikes
every Body, c. he bor­
rows Money every
where, he runs in every
one's Debt. A Strike, (of
Corn) a Bushel.

Strip, c. to Rob or
Gut a House, to unrig
any Body, or to Bite
them of their Money.

Strip the Ken, c. to Gut the
House. Strip the Table, c. to
Winn all the Money on



the Place. Stripts, poor,
Naked. We have Stript
the Cull, c. We have got
all the Fool's Money.
The Cove's Stript, c. the
Rogue has not a Jack
left to help himself.

Strommel, c. Straw.

Strowlers, c. Vaga­
bonds, Itinerants, Men
of no settled Abode, of a
Precarious Life, Wan­
derers of Fortune, such,
as, Gypsies, Beggers, Ped­
lers, Hawkers, Moun­
tebanks, Fidlers, Coun­
try-Players, Rope-dan­
cers, Juglers, Tumblers,
showers of Tricks, and
Raree-show-men.

Strowling-morts, c. pre­
tending to be Widows,
sometimes Travel the
Countries, making Laces
upon Ewes, Beggers-­
tape, &c. Are light Fin­
ger'd, Subtil, Hypocriti­
cal, Cruel, and often dan­
gerous to meet, especi­
ally when a Ruffler is
with them.

Study, a Closet of Books.
In a brown Study, mus­
ing, pensive, careful.

Strum, c. a Periwig.
Rum-strum, c. a long
Wig; also a handsom
Wench, or Strumpet.

Stuff, Nonsense, idle,
ridiculous, impertinent
Talk.

Stuling-ken, c. as Stal­
ling-ken, c.

Stum, the Flower of
fermenting Wine, used
by Vintners, when their
Wine is down or flat, to
make it Drink up and
brisk; also when they
Brew, to make their
mixtures, (by putting
them into a new Fer­
ment) all of one Taste.
Stumm'd Wines are very
unwholesom, and may be
discover'd, by a white
Froth round the sides of the
Glass.

Stubble it, c. hold your
Tongue.

Sturdy-beggers, c. the
fifth and last of the most
ancient Order of Canters.


S U

Sub-beau, or Demibeau,
a wou'd-be-fine.



Sub-bois, Maples, Birch,
Sallow, and Willow.

Suck, c. Wine or strong
Drink. This is rum Suck,
c. it is excellent Tipple.
We'll go and Suck our Faces,
but if they toute us, we'll
take rattle and brush, c.
let's go to Drink and be
merry, but if we be Smelt,
by the People of the
House, we must Scower
off. He loves to Suck his
Face, he delights in Drink­
ing.

Suckey, c. drunkish,
maudlin, half Seas o'er.

Suit and Cloak, good
store of Brandy or any
agreable Liquor, let down
Gutter-lane.

Sun-burnt, having ma­
ny (Male) Children.

Sunny-bank, a good,
rousing Winter-Fire.

Superstitious-Pies, Min­
c'd, or Christmas-Pies,
so Nick-nam'd by the
Puritans, or Frecisians,
tho' they can Eat 'em;
but affecting to be singu­
lar, make them a Month
or six Weeks before
Christmas, or the Feast
of Christ.

Supernaculum, not so
much as a Drop left to
be poured upon the
Thumb-nail, so cleaver­
ly was the Liquor ript off.

Supouch, c. an Hostess
or Landlady.Not found in OED.

Surtout, a loose, great,
or riding Coat.

Sutler, c. he that Pock­
ets up, Gloves, Knives,
Handkerchiefs, Snuff and
Tobacco-boxes, and all
the lesser Moveables;
also a Scullion or Huck­
ster, one that follows an
Army, to sell Meat,
Drink, &c.


S W

Swadlers, c. the tenth
Order of the Canting
Tribe. To Swaddle, to
Beat lustily with a Cane
or Cable's end. I'll Swad­
dle your Hide, I'll bang
your Back.

Swag, c. a Shop. Rum
Swag, c. full of rich
Goods.

Swagger, to vapour or
bounce.

Swallow, (Falsities for
Truths) to believe them.



Sweets, the Dreggs of
Sugar used by Vintners,
to allay the undue fer­
menting or fretting of
their Wine.

Sweetners, c. Guinea-­
Droppers, Cheats, Sharp­
ers. To Sweeten, c. to
decoy, draw in, and
Bite. To be Sweet upon, c.
to coakse, wheedle, en­
tice or allure.

Swig-men, c. the 13th
Rank of the Canting
Crew, carrying small
Habberdashery-Wares
about, pretending to
sell them, to colour their
Roguery. A hearty Swig,
a lusty Draught. To
Swig it off, to Drink it
all up.

Swill-belly, a great
Drinker.

Swimmer, a Counter­
feit (old) Coyn.

Swinging Clap,  
a very great one.

Swinging Lye,  
a very great one.

Swinging Fellow,  
a very great one.

I Swing'd him off, I lay'd
on and beat him well-­
favoredly. He is Swing'd
off, damnably Clapt.

Swinish, (fellow) ra­
king, greedy, gluttonous,
covetous.

Swabbers, the Ace of
Hearts, Knave of Clubs,
Ace and Duce of Trumps;
also the Sorriest Sea-Men
put to Wash and clean
the Ship.

Swop, to barter or
Truck.


T A

Tackle, c. a Mistress;
also good Cloths. The
Cull has tipt his Tackle
Rum-rigging, c. or, has
Tipt his Bloss Rum-tackle,
c. the keeping Coxcomb
has given his Mistress
very fine Cloths.

Taffy, a Welshman or
David. Taffy's Day, the
first of March.

Tables, a Game. Turn
the Tables, make it your
own Case.

Take the Culls in, c.
Seize the Men, in order
to Rob them.

Take time, never to
thrust but with advan­
tage. Very taking, accep­



table, agreeable, or be­
coming. It Takes well,
or the Town Takes it, the
Play pleas'd, or was
acted with Applause, or
the Book Sells well. No
doubt but it will Take, no
question but it will sell.

Talent, the same with
Capacity, Genius, Incli­
nation or Ability; also
375l. in Silver, and
4500l. in Gold. His
Talent does not lye that way,
he has no Genius for it,
or his Head does not
lean to it.

Tale-tellers, a sort of
Servants in use with the
great Men in Ireland, to
Lull them a sleep with
Tales and Stories of a
Cock and a Bull, &c. I
tell you my Tale, and my
Tales-man, or Author.

Tall-boy, a Pottle, or
two Quart-pot full of
Wine.

Talons, or Pounces, a
Bird's Claws, as Fangs
are Beast's Claws.

Tally-man, Brokers that
let out Cloths at mode­
rate Rates to wear per
Week, Month, or Year.

Tame-fellow, tractable,
easily manageable.

Tamper, to practise up­
on one.

Tant, Tantest, Mast of
a Ship or Man, Tall,
Tallest.

Tantivy-boies, high-­
Flyers, or High-flown
Church-men, in oppo­
sition to the moderate
Church-men; or Lati­
tudinarians a lower sort
of Flyers, like Batts,
between Church-men
and Dissenters.

Taplash, Wretched,
sorry Drink, or Hog­
wash.

Tappeth, see Beateth.

Tariff, a Book of Rates
or Customs; also ano­
ther of the Current
Coin.

Tarnish, to Fade.

Tar, Tarpaulin, a Sea­
man; also a piece of
Canvas, (tarr'd) laid
over the Hatches to keep
out Wet.

Tar-terms, proper Sea-­
Phrases, or Words.

Tart-dame, sharp, quick.



Tartar, a sharper. To
catch a Tartar, in stead
of catching, to be catcht
in a Trap.

Tatter-de-mallion, c. a
ragged, tatter'd Begger,
sometimes half Naked,
with design to move
Charity, having better
Cloths at Home. In Tat­
ters, in Raggs. Tatter'd
and Torn, rent and torn.

Tattler, c. an Alarm,
or Striking Watch, or
(indeed) any.

Tatts, c. false Dice.

Tat-monger, c. a Sharp­
er, or Cheat, using
false Dice.

Tattling Fellow, prating,
impertinent.

Tanting Woman, prating,
impertinent.

Taunts, Girds, Quips,
or Jeers. To Taunt, to
Jeer or Flout.

Taudry, garish, gawdy,
with Lace or mismatch­
ed and staring Colours :
A Term borrow'd from
those times when they
Trickt and Bedeckt the
Shrines and Altars of the
Saints, as being at vye
with each other upon
that occasion. The Vo­
taries of St. Audrey (an
Isle of Ely Saint) exceed­
ing all the rest in the
Dress and Equipage of
her Altar, it grew into
a Nay-word, upon any
thing very Gawdy, that
it was all Taudry, as
much as to say all St. Au­
drey.

Tayle, c. a Sword.

Tayle-drawers, c. Sword-­
stealers. He drew the
Cull's Tayle rumly, c. he
whipt away the Gentle­
man's Sword cleverly.


T E

Teague-land, Ireland.

Teague-landers, Irish-­
men.

Tears of the Tankard,  
Drops of the good Li­
quor that fall beside.

Tegg, see Doe.

Temperade, an East-­
Indian-dish, now in use
in England, being a Fowl
Fricasied, with high
Sauce, Blancht Almonds
and Rice.

Temperament, an Ex­
pedient or Medium; al­



so a due proportion of
the four Humors.

Temple-pickling, the Pum­
ping of Bailives, Bumms,
Setters, Pick-pockets, &c.

Tender-parnel, a very
nicely Educated crea­
ture, apt to catch Cold
upon the least blast of
Wind.See OED, "educated," ppl. a., a.

Terce, the Nails of the
Sword-hand quite down.

Tercel gentle, c. a Knight
or Gentleman of a good
Estate; also any rich
Man.

Terra-firma, an Estate
in Land; also a Conti­
nent. Has the Cull any
Terra Firma? Has the
Fool any Land?


T H

That That, or There, to
Hare.Not found in the OED.

Thwack, to Beat with
a Stick or Cudgel.

The Dragon upon St.
George, c. the Woman
uppermost.

Thief-takers, who
make a Trade of help­
ing People (for a gratu­
ity) to their lost Goods
and sometimes for Inte­
rest or Envy snap­
ping the Rogues them­
selves; being usually in
fee with them, and ac­
quainted with their
Haunts.

Thorn-back, an old
Maid; also a well known
Fish, said to be exceed­
ing Provocative.

Thorough-cough, farting
at the same time.

Thorough passage, in
at one Ear, and out at
the other.

Thorough stitch, over
Shoes, over Boots.

The Three-legged-stool,  
Tyburn.

Three-threads, half com­
mon Ale, and the rest
Stout or Double Beer.

Threpps, c. Three-pence.

Thrumms, c. Three-­
pence. Tip me thrumms,
c. Lend me Three-pence.

Thummikins, a Pu­
nishment (in Scotland) by
hard Squeezing or Press­
ing of the Thumbs to ex­
tort Confession, which
Stretches them prodi­
giously and is very pain­
ful. In Camps, and on



board of Ships, lighted
Matches are clapt be­
tween the Fingers to the
same intent.


T I

Tib, a young Lass.

Tib of the Buttery, c.
a Goose.

Tickrum, c. a Licence.
to run a tick, to go on
the Score, or a trust.Not found in OED.

Tickle-pitcher, a Toss-­
pot, or Pot-companion.

Tiffing, c. lying with
a Wench.

Tilter, a Sword, to tilt,
to fight with Rapier, or
pushing Swords, run a
tilt, a swift Pursuit, also
Drink made to run fa­
ster.

Tint for tant, hit for
hit, and dash for dash.

Tip, c. to give or lend;
also Drink and a draught.
Tip your Lour, or Cole or
I'll Mill ye, c. give me
your Money or I'll kill
ye. Tip the Culls a Sock,
for they are sawcy, c.
Knock down the Men
for resisting. Tip the Cole
to Adam Tiler, c. give
your Pick-pocket Mo­
ney presently to your
running Comrade. Tip
the Mish, c. give me the
Shirt. Tip me a Hog, c.
lend me a Shilling. Tip
it all off, Drink it all off
at a Draught. Don't spoil
his Tip, don't baulk his
Draught. A Tub of good
Tip, (for Tipple) a
Cask of strong Drink.
To Tip off, to Dye.

Tipler, a Fuddle-cap or
Toss-pot.

Tipsy, a'most Drunk.

Tiring, Dressing; also
when a Leg or Pinion
of a Pullet, Pigeon, &c.
is given to a Hawk to
pluck at. Tiring-Room, a
Dressing-Room. A Tire-­
woman, one that teaches
to Dress in the Hair,
when in Fashion, and
when out, to cut the
Hair, and Dress the Head.

Tit-bit, a fine Snack,
or choice Morsel.

Tit-tat, the aiming of
Children to go at first.

Tittle-tattle, foolish,
idle, impertinent Talk.

Titter, to Laugh at a
Feather.



Titter-totter, who is up­
on the Reel, at every
jog, or Blast of Wind.


T O

Toge, c. a Coat.

Togemans, c. a Gown
or Cloak. I have Bit the
Togemans, c. I have Stole
the Cloak. 'Tis a Rum­
togemans, 'tis a good
Camlet-Cloak, Let's nim
it, let's whip it off.

Tokens, the Plague,
also Presents from one
to another, and Far­
things. Not a Token left,
not one Farthing remain­
ing. Tom-fool's-token, Mo­
ney.

Tol, Toledo, c. a Sword.
Bite the Tol, c. to Steal
the Sword.

A Rum-tol, c. a Silver-shy;
hilted Sword. A Queer-­
tol, c. a Brass or Steel-­
hilted or ord'nary Sword.Not found in OED.

Tom-boy, a Ramp, or
Tomrig.

Tom of Bedlam, c. the
same as Abram-man.

Tom-conney, a very silly
Fellow.

Tom rig, a Ramp.

Tom-Thumb, a Dwarf
or diminitive Fellow.
Come by Tom Long the
Carrier, of what is very
late, or long a coming.

Tongue-pad, a smooth,
Glib-tongued, insinuat­
ing Fellow.

Tony, a silly Fellow, or
Ninny. A meer Tony, or
Simpleton.

Tool, an Implement
fit for any Turn, the
Creature of any Cause
or Faction; a meer Pro­
perty, or Cat's Foot.

Top, c. to Cheat, or
Trick any one; also to
Insult. What do you Top
upon me? do you stick
a little Wax to the Dice
to keep them together,
to get the Chance you
wou'd have? He thought
to have Topt upon me,
c. he design'd to have
Put upon me, Sharpt
me, Bullied me, or Af­
fronted me.

Tope, to Drink. An
old Toper, a staunch
Drunkard. To Tope it
about, or Dust it about,
to Drink briskly about.



Top-diver, a Lover of
Women. An old Top-di­
ver, one that has Lov'd
Old-hat in his time.

Top-heavy, Drunk.

Topping-fellow, who
has reacht the Pitch and
greatest Eminence in
any Art; the Master,
and the Cock of his Pro­
fession.

Topping-cheat, c. the
Gallows.

Topping-cove, c. the
Hangman.

Torch-cul, the same as
Bum-fodder.Not found in OED.

Torcoth, a Fish having
a red Belly, found on­
ly in the Pool Sinperis, in
Carnarvanshire.

Tories, Zealous Stick­
lers for the Prerogative
and Rights of the Crown,
in behalf of the Mo­
narchy; also Irish-thieves,
or Rapparies.

Tost, to name or be­
gin a new Health. Who
Tosts now? Who Chris­
tens the Health? An old
Tost, a pert pleasant
old Fellow.

Totty-headed, Giddy-­
headed, Hare-brain'd.

Tout, c. to look out
Sharp, to be upon one's
Guard. Who Touts? c.
who looks out sharp?
Tout the Culls, c. Eye those
Folks which way they
take. Do you Bulk and
I'll File, c. if you'll jo­
stle him, I will Pick his
Pocket.

Touting-ken, c. a Ta­
vern or Ale-house Bar.

Tourn, Copulation of
Roes.

Tower-Hill-play, a slap
on the Face and a kick
on the Breech.

Town-bull, one that
rides all the Women he
meets.

Tower, a Woman's
false Hair on their Fore-­
heads. Towring Thoughts,
Ambitious Aspiring. To
Tower, to sore on High.
They have been round the
Tower with it, c. that
Piece of Money has been
Clipt.


T R

Trace, the Footing of
a Hare in the Snow.

Track, c. to go.



Track up the Dancers, 
c. whip up the Stairs.

Tract, the footing of a
Boar.

Train, a Hawk's or
Peacock's Tail; also
Attendants or Retinue.

Trajoning, when a Roe
crosses and doubles.

Tansnear, c. to come
up with any body.Not found in OED.

Translators, Sellers of
old Shoes and Boots,
between Shoe-makers
and Coblers; also that
turn or Translate one
Language into another.

Transmogrify, to alter,
or new vamp.

Tranter, the same as
Crocker.

Trapan, c. he that
draws in or wheedles a
Cull, and Bites him. Tra­
pan'd, c. Sharpt, ensnar'd.

Trapes, a dangling
Slattern.

Trassing, when the
Hawk raiseth any Fowl
aloft, and soaring with it,
at length descendeth
with it to the Ground.Not found in OED.

Tree the Martern, Dis­
lodge him.

Treewins, c. Three-­
pence.Not found in OED.

Triggy-mate, an idle
She-Companion.Not found in OED.

Trib, c. a Prison. He
is in Trib, for Tribulation,
c. he is layd by the Heels,
or in a great deal of
Trouble.

Trim, Dress, in a sad
Trim, Dirty, Undrest. A
Trim-Lad, a spruce, neat,
well trickt Man.

Trimmer, a moderate
man, betwixt Whig and
Tory, between Preroga­
tive and Property. To
Trim, to hold fair with
both sides. Trim the Boat,
poise it. Trim of, the Ship,
that way she goes best.

Trimming, c. Cheating
people of their Money.

Trine, c. to Hang; al­
so Tyburn. Trining, c.
Hanging.

Trinkets, Porringers,
and also any little odd
things, Toies and Trifles.

Tringum-Trangum, a
Whim, or Maggot.

Tripolin, Chalk, nick-­
nam'd and us'd by the
French Perfumers as A­



labaster is by the English.

Trip, a short Voyage or
Journey; also an Error
of the Tongue, or Pen, a
stumble, a false step, a
miscarriage, or a Bastard.

Troateth, see Growneth.

Trotters, Feet, usually
Sheeps. Shake your Trot­
ters, troop off, be gone.
An old Trot, a sorry base
old Woman. A Dog Trot,
a pretty Pace.

Troll-away, bowl a­
way, or trundle away.

Troll-about, saunter,
loiter, wander about.

Trolly-lolly, coarse Lace
once much in fashion,
now worn only by the
meaner sort.

Trollop, A great Trol­
lop, a lusty coarse Ramp
or Tomrig.

Trooper, c. a half Crown.

Trounce, troubled,
Cast in Law, Punisht.
I'll Trounce the Rogue, I'll
hamper him.

Truck, to swop or
barter.

Trug, a dirty Puzzel,
an ord'nary sorry Wo­
man; also the third part
of a Bushel, and a Tray
for Milk.

Trull, c. a Whore;
also a Tinker's travelling
Wife or Wench, and to
trundle.

Trumpery, old Ware,
old Stuff, as old Hatts,
Boots, Shoes, &c. Trash
and Trumpery. For want
of good Company, welcome
Trumpery.

Trundlers, c. Pease.

Trunk, c. a Nose; also
the body of a Tree or
Man, without Head,
Arms or Leggs. How
fares your old Trunk? c.
Does you Nose stand
fast?

Trusty-trojan, or Trusty-­
Trout, a sure Friend or
Confident.


T U

Tuck't, Hang'd.

Tumbler, c. a Cart.
To shove the Tumbler, c.
to be Whipt at the Cart's
Tail; also one that
Decoys, or draws others
into Play; and one that
shows Tricks with and
without a Hoop; a low
Silver Cup to Drink out



of, and a Coney Dog.

Tup, Copulation of Ram
and Ewe. Venison out of
Tup-park Mutton.

Turk, any cruel hard-­
hearted Man.

Turky-Merchant, dri­
vers of Turkies.

Turkish-shore, Lambeth,
Southwerk and Roder­
hith-side of the Water.

Turkish Treatment, very
sharp or ill dealing in
Business.

Turn-coat, he that quits
one and embraces an­
other Party.

Turnep-pate, White or
Fair-hair'd.


T W

Twang, a smack or ill
Taste.

Tweak, in a Tweak, in
a heavy taking, much­
vext, or very angry.

Twelver, c. a Shilling.

Twist, half Tea, half
Coffee; also a Bough,
and to Eat. To Twist lus­
tily, to Feed like a Farmer.

Twit, to hit in the Teeth.

Twitter, to Laugh
much with little Noise;
also to Tremble.


V A

Vagaries, wild Ram­
bles, extravagant Frolicks.

Vagrant, a wandring
Rogue, a strolling Vaga­
bond.

Vain, Fond.

Vain-glorious, or Osten­
tatious Man, one that Pis­
ses more than he Drinks.

Valet, a Servant.

Vamp, c. to Pawn any
thing; also a Sock. I'll
Vamp and tip you the Cole,
c. I'll Pawn my Cloths,
but I'll raise the Money
for you. To Vamp, to new
Dress, Licker, Refresh, or
Rub up old Hatts Boots,
Shoes, &c.

Vampers, c. Stockings.

Varlets, Rogues, Ras­
cals, &c. now tho' for­
merly Yeoman Servants.

Vaudois, Inhabitants of
the Vallies in Piedmont,
Subject to the Duke of
Savoy, fam'd for their
frequent Rencounters
with and Defeating of
French Parties, intercept­
ing their Provisions, &c.



Vault, an arched Cel­
lar, and House of Office.
She goes to the Vault, when
a Hare (which is very
seldom) takes the Ground
like a Coney.

Vaulting-School, c. a
Bawdy-house; also an
Academy where Vault­
ing and other Manly
Exercises are Taught.

Vauntlay, Hounds or
Beagles set in readiness,
expecting the Chace to
come by, and then cast
off before the rest come
in.


V E

Velvet, c. a Tongue.
Tip the Velvet, c. to
Tongue a Woman.

Venary, or Venery, Hun­
ting or Chasing Beasts and
Birds of Venery, as, the
Hart, the Hind, the Hare,
Boar and Wolf, the Phea­
sant, the Partridge, &c.

Venison, whatsoever
Beast of the Forest is for
the food of Man.

Vent, the fundament of
Poultry and Fish; also a
Bung-hole in a Vessel.

Vent the Otter, see
Otter.

Vessels, several Pipes
and Conveyances in the
body, of the Blood, Seed,
Serum, or Urine, as the
Bloud-vessels, Lymphaeshy;
ducts, Spermatick Ves­
sels, Urinary Vessels, &c.
Also Kitchin-Utensils,
as Pots, Pans, &c. And
of other Offices, as Brew­
ing, Washing Churning
Vessels, &c.


V I

View, the Treading of
a Buck or Fallow Deer.

Vinegar, c. a Cloak.

Virago, a masculine
Woman, or a great two-­
handed Female.

Vituoso, an experi­
mental Philosopher, a
Trader in new Inven­
tions and Discoveries,
a Projector in Philoso­
phy.


U N

Unharbour the Hart, see
Hart.

Unitarian, numerous
Sect holding one God



without plurality or dis­
tinction of Persons.

Unkennel the Fox, Dis­
lodge him.

Unrig'd, Stript, Un­
drest, and Ships that are
laid up. Unrig the Drab,
c. to pull all the Whore's
Cloths off.

Untwisted, Undone,
Ruin'd.

Unwasht-bawdry, Rant,
errant fulsom Bawdry.

Uphils, high Dice.Not found in OED.


V O

Vouchers, c. that put
off False Money for
Sham-coyners; also one
that Warrants Gagers or
under Officers Accompts,
either at the Excise-­
Office, or elsewhere.


U P

Uppish, rampant, crow­
ish, full of Money. He
is very Uppish, well lined
in the Fob; also brisk.

Upright-man, c. the
second Rank of the
Canting Tribes, having
sole right to the first
night's Lodging with the
Dells. Go Upright, said
by Taylers and Shoe-­
makers, to their Ser­
vants, when any Mo­
ney is given to make
them Drink and signi­
fies, bring it all out in
Drink, tho' the Donor
intended less and expects
Change or some return
of Money.

Upstarts, new rais'd to
Honour.


U R

Urchin, a little sorry
Fellow; also a Hedge-­
hog.

Urines, Netts to catch
Hawks.

Urinal of the Planets, 
Ireland, with us, because
of its frequent and great
Rains, as Heidelberg, and
Cologn in Germany, have
the same Name upon
the same Account; also
a Chamber-pot, or Glass.


U T

Utopia, Fairy-Land,
a new Atlantis, or Isle
of Pines.




W A

Waddle, to go like a
Duck.

Wag, Waggish, Arch,
Gamesom, Pleasant.

Wag-Tail, a light Wo­
man.

Wallowish, a malkish,
ill Taste.

Wap, c. to Lie with a
Man. If she won't wap
for a Winne, let her trine
for a Make, c. If she
won't Lie with a Man
for a Penny, let her
Hang for a Half-penny.
Mort wap-apace, c. a
Woman of Experience,
or very expert at the
Sport.

Wapper-eyed, that has
Sore or running Eyes.

Warm, welllined or
flush in the Pocket.

Warming-pan, an old
fashion'd large Watch. A
Scotch Warming-pan, a
She-bed-fellow.

Warren, c. he that is
Security for Goods taken
up, on Credit, by Ex­
travagant young Gen­
tlemen; also a Boarding-­
school and a Bawdy-­
house.

Wash, After-wort; also
Paint for Faces.

Waspish, peevish.

Water-pad, c. one that
Robbs Ships in the
Thames.

Wattles, Ears; also
Sheep-folds.


W E

Weak, Silly, half-witted.

Welsh-Camp, a Field
betwixt Lambs-Conduit
and Grays Inn-lane,
where the Mob got to
gether in great numbers,
doing great mischief.

Welsh-fiddle, the Itch.

Westminster-Wedding, a
Whore and a Rogue
Married together.

Wet-Quaker, a Drunk­
ard of that Sect.


W H

Wheadle, c. a Sharper.
To cut a Wheadle, c. to
Decoy, by Fawning and
Insinuation.

Wheel-band in the Nick, 
regular Drinking over
the left Thumb.



When we enter'd the
Ken, we leapt up the Dan­
cers, and Fagotted all there,  
c. when we got into the
House, we whipt up
Stairs and Bound all the
People there.

Wheatgear, a Bird
smaller than a Dottrel,
choice Peck.

Whether-go-ye, a Wife.

Whet, a Draught or
Sup to encourage the
Appetite.

Whet-stones-Park, a Lane
betwixt Holborn and Lin­
colns-Inn-fields, fam'd
for a Nest of Wenches,
now de-park,d.

Whids, c. Words.

Whiddle, c. to tell or
discover. He Whiddles,
c. he Peaches. He Whid­
dles the whole Scrap, c.
he discovers all he knows.
The Cull has Whiddled,
because we wou'd n't tip
him a Snack, c. the Dog
has discover'd, because
we did n't give him a
share. They Whiddle beef,
and we must Brush, c.
they cry out Thieves,
we are Pursued, and
must Fly.

Whiddler, c. a Peacher
(or rather Impeacher)
of his Gang.

Whiggs, the Republicans
or Common-wealths­
men, under the Name of
Patriots, and Lovers of
Property; originally the
Field-conventiclers in
the West of Scotland.

Whiggish, Factious, Se­
ditious, Restless, Uneasy.

Whig-land, Scotland.

Whip-shire, Yorkshire.

Whipster, a sharp, or
subtil Fellow.

Whip off, c. to Steal,
to Drink cleaverly, to
Snatch and run away.
Whipt through the Lungs,
run through the Body
with a Sword. Whipt in
at the Glaze, c. got in at
the Window.

Whim, a Maggot.

Whimsical, Maggotish.

Whimper, a low, or
small Cry. What a Whim­
pering you keep?

Whindle, a low or
feigned Crying.

Whineth, see Otter. To
Whine, to cry squeeking­
ly, as at Conventicles.



Whinyard, a Sword.

Whipper-snapper, a very
small but sprightly Boy.

Whip-Jacks, c. the
tenth Order of the Can­
ting Crew; Counterfeit
Mariners Begging with
false Passes, pretending
Shipwrecks, great Losses
at Sea, &c. narrow es­
capes; telling dismal
Stories, having learnt
Tar-terms on purpose,
but are meer Cheats.

Whirlegigs, Testicles.Not found in OED.

Whisk, a little incon­
siderable, impertinent
Fellow.

Whisker, a great Lie.

Whiskins, c. shallow
brown Bowls to Drink
out of.

Whistle, a derisory
Term for the Throat.
Wet your Whistle, to Li­
quor your Throat.

Whit, c. Newgate. As
five Rum-padders, are Rub'd
in the Dark-man's out of
the Whit, and are pik'd in
to the Deuseaville, c. five
Highway-men in the
Night broke Newgate,
and are gone into the
Countrey.

White-liver'd, Cow­
ardly; also Pale Visag'd.

White-wool, c. Silver.

White-chappel-portion, 
two torn Smocks, and
what Nature gave.

Whow-ball, a Milk-­
maid.

Whur, the rising or
fluttering of Partridge
or Pheasant.


W I

Wicket, c. a Casement,
also a little Door. As
toute through the Wicket,
and see where a Cully
pikes with his Gentry-mort,
whose Munns are the Rum­
mest I ever touted before, c.
look through the Case­
ment and see where the
Man walks with a Gen­
tle-woman, whose Face
is the fairest, I have ever
seen.

Wicher-Cully, c. a Sil­
ver-smith.Not found in OED.

Wide, when the Biass
of the Bowl holds not
enough.

Widows-Weeds, Mour­
ning Cloths. A Grass-­
Widow, one that pre­



tends to have Mar­
ried, but never was, yet
has Children.

Whores-kitling, a Bastard.

Whore-son, a Bastard.

Wild-boar, the fourth
Year, at which Age or
a little before he leaveth
the Sounder, and is cal­
led a Singler, or Sanglier,
Hogsteer, the third Year;
Hog, the second Year;
Pig of the Sounder, the
first Year. A Boar couch­
eth, Lodgeth; Rear the
Boar, Dislodge him. A
Boar freemeth, maketh a
noise at rutting Time.

Wild-Rogues, c. the fifth
Order of Canters, such
as are train'd up from
Children to Nim Buttons
off Coats, to creep in at
Cellar and Shop-Win­
dows, and to slip in at
Doors behind People;
also that have been
whipt, Burnt in the Fist
and often in Prison for
Roguery.

Wiles, Engins to take
Deer; also Tricks In­
trigues.

Wily, cunning, crafty,
intriguing.

Willing-Tit, a little
Horse that Travels chear­
fully.

Willow, c. Poor, and
of no Reputation.

Wind-fall, a great For­
tune fallen unexpectedly
by the Death of a Fri­
end, or Wood fell by
high Winds, &c.

Wind-mills in the Head, 
empty Projects. He'll go
as near the Wind as ano­
ther, live as thrifty and
wary as any one.

Win, c. a Penny. To
Win, c. to Steal. Won, c.
Stolen. The Cull has
won a couple of Rum glim­
sticks, c. the Rogue has
Stole a pair of Silver-­
Candlesticks.

Windy-fellow, without
Sense or Reason.

Wink, c. a Signal or
Intimation. He tipt the
Wink, c. he gave the Sign
or Signal.

Wipe, c. a Blow; also
a Reflection. He tipt him
a rum Wipe, c. he gave
him a swinging Blow.
I gave him a Wipe, I spoke
something that cut him,



or gaul'd him. He Wipt
his Nose, c. he gull'd him.

Wiper, c. a Handker­
chief. Nim the Wiper, c.
to Steal the Handker­
chief.

Wiper-drawer, c. a Hand­
kerchief Stealer. He drew
a broad, narrow, cam, or
Speckt Wiper, c. he Pickt­
pockets of a broad, or
narrow, Ghenting, Cam­
brick, or Colour'd Hand­
kerchief.

Wire-draw, c. a Fetch
or Trick to wheedle in
Bubbles; also to screw,
over-reach, or deal hard
with. Wire-drawn, c. so
serv'd, or treated.

Wise Man of Gotham,  
a Fool.

Witcher, c. Silver.Not found in OED.

Witcher-bubber, c. a Sil­
ver-bowl. The Cull is
pik'd with the Witcher-bub­
ber, c. the Rogue is mar­
ched off with the Silver-­
Bowl.

Witcher-tilter, c. a Sil­
ver-hilted Sword. He has
bit, or drawn the Wit­
cher-tilter, c. he has
Stole the Silver-hilted
Sword.

Within the Sword, from
the Sword to the Right
Hand.

Without the Sword, all
the Man's Body above
the Sword.

The Witt, c. Newgate.


W O

Woman of the Town, a
Lewd, common Pros­
titute.

Womble te-cropt, see Crop-­
sick.

Wooden-ruff, c. a Pillo­
ry, the Stocks at the o­
ther end. Hudibras. He
wore the Wooden-ruff, c.
he stood in the Pillory.

Wood-pecker, c. a By­
stander that bets; also
a bird of that Name. In a
Wood, at a loss.

Wooly-crown, a Fool.
Your Wits are a Wool-ga­
thering, are in a Wild goose-­
chace.

Word-pecker, one that
play's with Words.

Worm'd out of, Rookt,
Cheated, Trickt.


W R

Wreath, the Tail of a
Boar; also a Torce be­



tween the Mantle and
the Crest.


X A

Xantippe, a Scold; also
the froward Wife of So­
crates.


Y A

Yarmouth-Capon, a Red
Herring.

Yarmouth-Coach, a sor­
ry low Carr to ride on,
drawn by one Horse.

Yarmouth-Pie, made of
Herrings, highly Spic'd,
and Presented by the
City of Norwich, (upon
the forfeiture of their
Charter) annually to
the King.

Yarum, c. Milk.


Y E

Yea and Nay-Men, 
Quakers.

Yearn, when Beagles
bark and cry at their
Game.

Yellow, Jealous.

Yellow-boy, c. Piece of
Gold of any Coin.

Yeoman of the Mouth, 
an Officer belonging to
his Majestie's Pantry.


Y O

Yoak'd, Married.

Yorkshire-Tike, a York­
shire manner of Man.


Z A

Zany, a Mountebank's
Merry-Andrew, or Jes­
ter, to distinguish him
from a Lord's Fool.


Z U

Zuche, a wither'd or
dry Stock or Stub of a
Tree.




FINIS.