Hiberno-English word/phrase of the day:

Donkey's years

‘Donkey's years’ is used to describe a long period of time that has passed.

For example, ‘Ah, Ollie – it’s great to see you, I haven’t see you around in donkey's years’.

This expression is inseparable from donkey’s ears. In fact, these two expressions were originally a single one, donkey’s years being simply a dialectal pronunciation of donkey’s ears — or vice versa.

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PLUCK. Courage. He wants pluck: he is a coward. Against the pluck; against the inclination. Pluck the Ribbon; ring the bell. To pluck a crow with one; to settle a dispute, to reprove one for some past transgression.

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

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DERRICK. The name of the finisher of the law, or hangman about the year 1608.--'For he rides his circuit with the Devil, and Derrick must be his host, and Tiburne the inne at which he will lighte.'

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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COW'S THUMB. Done to a cow's thumb; done exactly.

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

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Hiberno-English word/phrase of the day:

Acting the maggot

If a person is ‘Acting the maggot’ they’re messing around, behaving foolishly, or misbehaving. It's not a severe insult, but rather it's used to describe someone how is causing harmless trouble.

For example, ‘That young lad was in here last night acting the maggot’.

Many sources point to Limerick as the origin of this phrase.

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DOWN HILLS. Dice that run low.

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

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"calm-mongering"

https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/12/health/hantavirus-public-health-officials-calm-mongering

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HISTORY OF THE FOUR KINGS, or CHILD'S BEST GUIDE TO THE GALLOWS. A pack of cards. He studies the history of the four kings assiduously; he plays much at cards.

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

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