1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue eBook

Francis Grose
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 343 pages of information about 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue eBook

Francis Grose
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 343 pages of information about 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.

Queer bitch.  An odd, out-of-the-way fellow.

Queer bluffer.  The master of a public-house the resort
  of rogues and sharpers, a cut-throat inn or alehouse
  keeper.

Queer bung.  An empty purse.

Queer checkers.  Among strolling players, door-keepers
  who defraud the company, by falsely checking the number
  of people in the house.

Queer cole fencer.  A putter off, or utterer, of bad
  money.

Queer cole maker.  A maker of bad money.

Queer cove.  A rogue.  Cant.

Queer cuffin.  A justice of the peace; also a churl.

Queer degen.  An ordinary sword, brass or iron hilted.

Queer ken.  A prison.  Cant.

Queer kicks.  A bad pair of breeches.

Queer mort.  A diseased strumpet.  Cant.

Queer nab.  A felt hat, or other bad hat.

Queer plungers.  Cheats who throw themselves into the
  water, in order that they may be taken up by their accomplices,
  who carry them to one of the houses appointed
  by the Humane Society for the recovery of drowned
  persons, where they are rewarded by the society with a
  guinea each; and the supposed drowned persons, pretending
  he was driven to that extremity by great necessity,
  also frequently sent away with a contribution in his
  pocket.

Queer prancer.  A bad, worn-out, foundered horse; also
  a cowardly or faint-hearted horse-stealer.

Queer rooster.  An informer that pretends to be sleeping,
  and thereby overhears the conversation of thieves in
  night cellars.

Queer street.  Wrong.  Improper.  Contrary to one’s
  wish.  It is queer street, a cant phrase, to signify
  that it is wrong or different to our wish.

QUITAM.  Aquitam horse; one that will both carry and
  draw.  Law wit.

To quibble.  To make subtle distinctions; also to play
  upon words.

Quick and nimble.  More like a bear than a squirrel. 
  Jeeringly said to any one moving sluggishly on a business
  or errand that requires dispatch.

Quid.  The quantity of tobacco put into the mouth at one
  time.  To quid tobacco; to chew tobacco.  Quid est
  hoc? hoc est quid; a guinea.  Half a quid; half a guinea. 
  The swell tipped me fifty quid for the prad; the gentleman
  gave fifty pounds for the horse.

Quids.  Cash, money.  Can you tip me any quids? can
  you lend me some money?

QUIFFING.  Rogering.  See to roger.

Quidnunc.  A politician:  from a character of that name
  in the farce of the Upholsterer.

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Project Gutenberg
1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.