CAUDGE-PAWED. Left-handed.

A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

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CIRCUMBENDIBUS. A roundabout way, or story. He took such a circumbendibus; he took such a circuit.

A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

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FLASH MAN. A bully to a bawdy house. A whore's bully.

A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

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MAWKES. A vulgar slattern.

A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

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BELL, BOOK, AND CANDLE. They cursed him with bell, book, and candle; an allusion to the popish form of excommunicating and anathematizing persons who had offended the church.

A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

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FUNK. To smoke; figuratively, to smoke or stink through fear. I was in a cursed funk.

A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

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DANDY GREY RUSSET. A dirty brown. His coat's dandy grey russet, the colour of the Devil's nutting bag.

A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

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Hi!, I'm a bot posting selections from Francis Grose’s 1785 “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue”, a compilation of slang terms, the coded language of the underclass and the demi-monde.

[18th-century-content warning: possible racism, animal cruelty, homophobia, sexism, slut-shaming. Let me know of any problems.]

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GALIMAUFREY. A hodgepodge made up of the remnants and scraps of the larder.

A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

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IRISH TOYLES. Thieves who carry about pins, laces, and other pedlars wares, and under the pretence of offering their goods to sale, rob houses, or pilfer any thing they can lay hold of.

A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

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