Fart Catcher N. --Cant for a valet or footman due to his walking behind his master or mistress. I am not making this up. 🙂 Cant is slang spoken in London, primarily by thieves, during the 18th and early 19th centuries. Source: 18th Century and Regency Thieves' Cant
Category: Historical Word Wednesday
Historical Word Wednesday: Burnish
Burnish Verb 1. To grow fat. "The expression, "You burnish nicely" meaning, "You look well." is frequently used in East Sussex, and is meant as a compliment." From A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect and Collection of Provincialisms in Use in the County of Sussex by W.D. Parish. I thought this was interesting... Reminds me of the modern term:… Continue reading Historical Word Wednesday: Burnish
Historical Word Wednesday: Concerned in Liquor
Concerned in Liquor Adjective 1. Drunk "This is one of many expressions used in Sussex to avoid the word drunk. To have a little beer, means to have a great deal too much; to have half-a-pint-other-while, means to be a habitual drunkard; to be none the better for which he had took, means to be much… Continue reading Historical Word Wednesday: Concerned in Liquor
Historical Word Wednesday: Byste
Byste Verb 1. To lie down in the day time. "I was quite took to (ashamed) to think you should have come in the other day and found me bysted, but I was quite entirely eat up with the rheumatics, and couldn't get about no how's." From A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect and Collection of Provincialisms in Use… Continue reading Historical Word Wednesday: Byste
