1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar TongueGrose, Francis
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1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue
Grose, Francis
English language -- Slang -- Dictionaries
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.
WIGANNOWNS. A man wearing a large wig.
WIGSBY. Wigsby; a man wearing a wig.
WILD ROGUES. Rogues trained up to stealing from their
cradles.
WILD SQUIRT. A looseness.
WILD-GOOSE CHASE. A tedious uncertain pursuit, like the
following a flock of wild geese, who are remarkably shy.
WILLING TIT. A free horse, or a coming girl.
WILLOW. Poor, and of no reputation. To wear the willow;
to be abandoned by a lover or mistress.
WIN. A penny,
TO WIN. To steal. The cull has won a couple of rum
glimsticks; the fellow has stolen a pair of fine candlesticks.
WIND. To raise the wind; to procure mony.
WINDER. Transportation for life. The blowen has napped
a winder for a lift; the wench is transported for life for
stealing in a shop.
WIND-MILL. The fundament. She has no fortune but
her mills; i.e. she has nothing but her **** and a*se.
WINDFALL. A legacy, or any accidental accession of property.
WINDMILLS IN THE HEAD. Foolish projects.
WINDOW PEEPER. A collector of the window tax.
WINDWARD PASSAGE. One who uses or navigates the
windward passage; a sodomite.
WINDY. Foolish. A windy fellow; a simple fellow.
WINK. To tip one the wink; to give a signal by winking
the eye.
WINNINGS. Plunder, goods, or money acquired by theft.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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