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.

White swelling.  A woman big with child is said to have
  a white swelling.

White tape.  Geneva.

White wool.  Geneva.

Whitechapel.  Whitechapel portion; two smocks, and
  what nature gave.  Whitechapel breed; fat, ragged, and
  saucy:  see st. Giles’s breed. Whitechapel beau;
  one who dresses with a needle and thread, and undresses
  with a knife.  To play at whist Whitechapel fashion;
  i.e. aces and kings first.

Whitewashed. One who has taken the benefit of an act
  of insolvency, to defraud his creditors, is said to have been
  whitewashed.

WHITFIELITE.  A follower of George Whitfield, a Methodist.

Whither-go-ye.  A wife:  wives being sometimes apt to
  question their husbands whither they are going.

Whittington’s college.  Newgate; built or repaired by
  the famous lord mayor of that name.

Whore’s bird.  A debauched fellow, the largest of all birds. 
  He sings more like a whore’s bird than a canary bird; said
  of one who has a strong manly voice.

Whore’s curse.  A piece of gold coin, value five shillings
  and three pence, frequently given to women of the town by
  such as professed always to give gold, and who before the
  introduction of those pieces always gave half a guinea.

WHOHE’S KITLING, or whore’s son.  A bastard.

Whore-monger.  A man that keeps more than one mistress. 
  A country gentleman, who kept a female friend, being reproved
  by the parson of the parish, and styled a whore-monger,
  asked the parson whether he had a cheese in his
  house; and being answered in the affirmative, ‘Pray,’
  says he, ‘does that one cheese make you a cheese-monger?’

Whore pipe.  The penis.

WHOW ball.  A milk-maid:  from their frequent use of the
  word whow, to make the cow stand still in milking.  Ball
  is the supposed name of the cow.

WIBBLE.  Bad drink.

WIBLING’S witch.  The four of clubs:  from one James
  Wibling, who in the reign of King James I. grew rich by
  private gaming, and was commonly observed to have that
  card, and never to lose a game but when he had it not.

Wicket.  A casement; also a little door.

WIDOW’S weeds.  Mourning clothes of a peculiar fashion,
  denoting her state.  A grass widow; a discarded mistress.
  a widow bewitched; a woman whose husband is abroad,
  and said, but not certainly known, to be dead.

Wife.  A fetter fixed to one leg.

Wife in water colours.  A mistress, or concubine;
  water colours being, like their engagements, easily effaced,
  or dissolved.

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