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An elbow shaker in inexpressibles? Exploring our delightfully vulgar tongue …

The Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue is an on-line hit, as it was when first published in 1811! 

Are you an elbow shaker? (A dice player.)

Is she a hempen widow? (A woman whose husband was hanged.)

Have you dirtied your inexpressibles? (Breeches.)

Delightful! For more of the best of the best, go here. To download the dictionary or read it on-line, go to Project Gutenberg.

 

  • https://plus.google.com/111691454183886288664 Celeste Neumann

    I read somewhere that Charles Dickens keep a copy of this on his desk while he was writing the series “Our Mutual Friend” from May 1864 to November 1865. I suppose it’s the equivalent of keeping a bookmark of the Urban Dictionary on our browsers today. 

    • http://www.sandragulland.com Sandra Gulland

      Isn’t that interesting! Thank you, Celeste. (I wonder what dictionary Elmore Leonard refers to.)

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