1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

William Hogarth, First Engraving from "A Harlot's Progress"

by Captain Grose et al.

I loved perusing the Dictionary of American Slang when I was a youth and I wasted many hours pretending to study while reading it in the library. I have continued to enjoy dictionaries of obscure and vulgar words. Here are some interesting selections given us by Captain Grose.

JIBBER THE KIBBER. A method of deceiving seamen, by fixing a candle and lanthorn round the neck of a horse,one of whose fore feet is tied up; this at night has the appearance of a ship's light. Ships bearing towards it, run on shore, and being wrecked, are plundered by the inhabitants.This diabolical device is, it is said, practised by the inhabitants of our western coasts.

GAYING INSTRUMENT. The penis.

BUG-HUNTER. An upholsterer.

BUM TRAP. A sheriff's officer who arrests debtors. Ware hawke! the bum traps are fly to our panney;  keep a good look out,the bailiffs know where our house is situated.

BUM FODDER. Soft paper for the necessary house or torchecul.

BUNTER. A low dirty prostitute, half whore and half beggar.

BUTCHER'S DOG. To be like a butcher's dog, i.e. lie by the beef without touching it; a simile often applicable to married men.

CAPRICORNIFIED. Cuckolded, hornified.

CUNDUM. The dried gut of a sheep, worn by men in the act of coition, to prevent venereal infection; said to have been invented by one colonel Cundum. These machines were long prepared and sold by a matron of the name of Philips, at the Green Canister, in Half-moon-street, in the Strand. That good lady having acquired a fortune, retired from business; but learning that the town was not well served by her successors, she, out of a patriotic zeal for the public welfare, returned to her occupation; of which she gave notice by divers hand-bills, in circulation in the year 1776. Also a false scabbard over a sword, and the oil-skin case for holding the colours of a regiment.

RESURRECTION MEN. Persons employed by the students in anatomy to steal dead bodies out of church-yards.

RIDING ST. GEORGE. The woman uppermost in the amorous congress, that is, the dragon upon St. George. This is said to be the way to get a bishop.