{"id":738,"date":"2021-12-09T10:26:28","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T16:26:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/victorianchildren.org\/?page_id=738"},"modified":"2023-11-29T07:01:55","modified_gmt":"2023-11-29T13:01:55","slug":"victorian-slang-terms","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/victorianchildren.org\/victorian-slang-terms\/","title":{"rendered":"Victorian Slang Terms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here are some of our favourite examples of Victorian Slang which I think should make a come back. Honestly, Victorian’s had some of the most bizarre and hilarious words you’ve ever heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These examples are from the ‘Passing English of the Victorian era, a dictionary of heterodox English, slang and phrase<\/em>‘ which was complied and written by James Redding Ware (1909), the pseudonym of British writer Andrew Forrester. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let’s turn back the clock and have a light-hearted chuckle at some amazing Victorian slang terms!.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n
\n
\"victorian-slang-terms\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Our Favourite Victorian Slang Terms!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. AFTERNOONIFIED<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A society word meaning \u201csmart\u201d or “refined.” Forrester demonstrates the usage: “The goods are not ‘afternoonified’ enough for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. ARFARFAN’ARF<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A figure of speech used to describe drunken men. \u201cHe\u2019s very arf\u2019arf\u2019an\u2019arf,” Forrester writes, “meaning he has had many \u2018arfs,\u2019\u201d or half-pints of booze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

3. BACK SLANG IT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thieves used this term to indicate that they wanted \u201cto go out the back way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. BAGS O\u2019 MYSTERY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An 1850 term for sausages, \u201cbecause no man but the maker knows what is in them. … The ‘bag’ refers to the gut which contained the chopped meat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

5. BANG UP TO THE ELEPHANT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This phrase originated in London in 1882, and means \u201cperfect, complete, unapproachable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

6. BATTY-FANG<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Low London phrase meaning \u201cto thrash thoroughly,\u201d possibly from the French\u00a0‘battre a fin<\/em>‘.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

7. BENJO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nineteenth century sailor slang for \u201cA riotous holiday, a noisy day in the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

8. BOW WOW MUTTON<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A naval term referring to meat so bad \u201cit might be dog flesh.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

9. BRICKY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brave or fearless. \u201cAdroit after the manner of a brick,” Forrester writes, “said even of the other sex, ‘What a bricky girl she is.’\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

10. BUBBLE AROUND<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A verbal attack, generally made via the press. Forrester cites\u00a0The Golden Butterfly<\/em>: “I will back a first-class British subject for bubbling around against all humanity.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

11. BUTTER UPON BACON<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Extravagance. Too much extravagance. \u201cAre you going to put lace over the feather, isn’t that rather butter upon bacon?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

12. CAT-LAP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A London society term for tea and coffee \u201cused scornfully by drinkers of beer and strong waters … in club-life is one of the more ignominious names given to champagne by men who prefer stronger liquors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

13. CHURCH-BELL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A talkative woman, with the implication of being a gossip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

14. CHUCKABOO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A nickname given to a close friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

15. COLLIE SHANGLES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Quarrels. A term from Queen Victoria\u2019s journal, More Leaves<\/a>, <\/em>published in 1884: \u201cAt five minutes to eleven rode off with Beatrice, good Sharp going with us, and having occasional collie shangles (a Scottish word for quarrels or rows, but taken from fights between dogs) with collies when we came near cottages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

16. COP A MOUSE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To get a black eye. \u201cCop in this sense is to catch or suffer,” Forrester writers, “while the colour of the obligation at its worst suggests the colour and size of the innocent animal named.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

17. DADDLES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A delightful way to refer to your rather boring hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

18. DAMFINO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This creative cuss is a contraction of \u201cdamned if I know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

19. DIZZY AGE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A phrase meaning “elderly,” because it “makes the spectator giddy to think of the victim’s years.” The term is usually refers to “a maiden or other woman canvassed by other maiden ladies or others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

20. DOING THE BEAR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Courting that involves hugging.” Could this be a reference to the ‘bear hug’, another term that appeared around the same time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

21. DON\u2019T SELL ME A DOG<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Popular until 1870, this phrase meant \u201cDon\u2019t lie to me!\u201d Apparently, people who sold dogs back in the day were prone to trying to pass off mutts as purebreds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

22. DOOR-KNOCKER<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A type of beard “formed by the cheeks and chin being shaved leaving a chain of hair under the chin, and upon each side of mouth forming with moustache something like a door-knocker.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

23. ENTHUZIMUZZY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Satirical reference to enthusiasm.” Created by Braham the terror, whoever that is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

24. FIFTEEN PUZZLE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not the game you might be familiar with, but a term meaning complete and absolute confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

25. FLY RINK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An 1875 term for a polished bald head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

26. GAL-SNEAKER<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An 1870 term for “a man devoted to seduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

27. GAS-PIPES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A term for especially tight pants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

28. GIGGLEMUG<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAn habitually smiling face.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

29. GOT THE MORBS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Use of this 1880 phrase indicated temporary melancholy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

30. HALF-RATS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Partially intoxicated. As opposed to ‘rat arsed’ which means very, very drunk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

31. JAMMIEST BITS OF JAM<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAbsolutely perfect young females,\u201d circa 1883.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

32. KRUGER-SPOOF<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lying, from 1896.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

33. MAD AS HOPS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Very excitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

34. MAFFICKING<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An excellent word that means getting rowdy in the streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

35. MAKE A STUFFED BIRD LAUGH<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAbsolutely preposterous.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

36. MEATER<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A street term meaning coward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

37. MIND THE GREASE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When walking or otherwise getting around, you could ask people to let you pass, please. Or you could ask them to mind the grease, which meant the same thing to Victorians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

38. MUTTON SHUNTER<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This 1883 term for a policeman is so much better than “pig.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

39. NANTY NARKING<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A tavern term, popular from 1800 to 1840, that meant great fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

40. NOSE BAGGER<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Someone who takes a day trip to the beach. He brings his own provisions and doesn\u2019t contribute at all to the resort he\u2019s visiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

41. NOT UP TO DICK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

42. ORF CHUMP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No appetite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

43. PARISH PICK-AXE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A prominent nose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

44. PODSNAPPERY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This term, Forrester writers, describes a person with a \u201cwilful determination to ignore the objectionable or inconvenient, at the same time assuming airs of superior virtue and noble resignation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

45. POKED UP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Embarrassed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

46. POWDERING HAIR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An 18th century tavern term that means \u201cgetting drunk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

47. RAIN NAPPER<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An umbrella.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

48. SAUCE-BOX<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

49. SHAKE A FLANNIN<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Why say you’re going to fight when you could say you’re going to shake a flannin instead?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

50. SHOOT INTO THE BROWN<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To fail. According to Forrester, “The phrase takes its rise from rifle practice, where the queer shot misses the black and white target altogether, and shoots into the brown i.e., the earth butt.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

51. SKILAMALINK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Secret, shady, doubtful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

52. SMOTHERING A PARROT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Drinking a glass of absinthe neat; named for the green color of the booze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

53. SUGGESTIONIZE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A legal term from 1889 meaning \u201cto prompt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

54. TAKE THE EGG<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

55. UMBLE-CUM-STUMBLE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Forrester, this low class phrase means “thoroughly understood.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

56. WHOOPERUPS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A term meaning “inferior, noisy singers” that could be used liberally today during karaoke sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A Dictionary of Victorian Slang<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Passing English of the Victorian era, a dictionary of heterodox English, slang and phrase<\/em> is complied and written by James Redding Ware, the pseudonym of Andrew Forrester. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this posthumously published volume, Forrester turns his attention to the world of Victorian slang, in particular that found in the city of London.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve listed our favourites in the post but there are many more curious phrases and terms in this magnificent dictionary. You can check it out for yourself below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n