Buzz
William Hogarth via Wikipedia Commons // Public Domain
Move over "sweetheart" or "honey." The Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, penned by lexicographer Francis Grose, offers a collection of unflattering terms for "wife," "husband," and "prostitute." First published in 1785 and revised in 1811, Grose gathered these words from earlier slang dictionaries and his own late-night strolls through London with his assistant.
The dictionary was aimed exclusively at men, with the 1811 edition foreword claiming, "improper topics can, with our help, be discussed even in the presence of ladies without offending modesty." Here are 17 entries from this Georgian-era slang compendium, a precursor to today's Urban Dictionary.
1. BUTTOCK AND TONGUE
"A wife who constantly reprimands."
2. SIGNIFICANCE OF COMFORT
"A spouse."
3. NUN FROM COVENT GARDEN
"A woman of the night."
4. LECTURE BEHIND THE CURTAIN
"A wife who reprimands her husband while in bed is said to deliver a curtain lecture."
5. VESTAL OF DRURY LANE
"A lady of the night, or prostitute; Drury Lane and its surroundings were once home to many such women."
6. LANDOWNER
"A man whose wife joins him at the tavern."
7. DOMINATED BY HIS SPOUSE
"A man controlled by his wife is often described as henpecked."
8. MISBEHAVED WOMAN
"Originally short for housewife, now a derogatory term; for example, 'What’s this, hussy?' or 'She’s a shameless hussy.'"
9. DECORATED MUTTON
"A woman of the night."
10. LEGAL COVERING
"A spouse."
11. OPEN REGISTER
"A woman of the night: akin to an open ledger, accessible to all."
12. SPOUSE
"A wife: referencing Eve, created from Adam’s rib. A troublesome rib: a difficult spouse."
13. TEMPORARY OCCUPANT
"A man whose wife often retrieves him from the tavern."
14. LIFETIME OCCUPANT
"A married man; one who has a spouse for life."
15. WHERE-ARE-YOU-HEADED
"Wives often tend to inquire about their husbands' destinations."
16. SPOUSE IN WATERCOLOR
"A lover or companion; watercolors, much like their commitments, are easily washed away or dissolved."
17. XANTIPPE
"The spouse of Socrates: now a term for a nagging or quarrelsome wife."
