1811 Dictionary in the Vulgar Tongue, by Francis Grose is part of HackerNoon’s Book Blog Post series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here: [LINK TO TABLE OF LINK]. Section I
Section I
IRISH APRICOTS. Potatoes. It is a common joke against
the Irish vessels, to say they are loaded with fruit and
timber, that is, potatoes and broomsticks.
the Irish vessels, to say they are loaded with fruit and
timber, that is, potatoes and broomsticks.
IRISH ASSURANCE. A bold forward behaviour: as being dipt in the river Styx was formerly supposed to render persons invulnerable, so it is said that a dipping in the river Shannon totally annihilates bashfulness; whence arises the saying of an impudent Irishman, that he has been dipt in the Shannon.
IRISH BEAUTY. A woman with two black eyes.
IRISH EVIDENCE. A false witness.
IRISH LEGS. Thick legs, jocularly styled the Irish arms.
It is said of the Irish women, that they have a dispensation
from the pope to wear the thick end of their legs downwards.
It is said of the Irish women, that they have a dispensation
from the pope to wear the thick end of their legs downwards.
IRISH TOYLES. Thieves who carry about pins, laces, and
other pedlars wares, and under the pretence of offering
their goods to sale, rob houses, or pilfer any thing they
can lay hold of.
other pedlars wares, and under the pretence of offering
their goods to sale, rob houses, or pilfer any thing they
can lay hold of.
IRON. Money in general. To polish the king's iron with
one's eyebrows; to look out of grated or prison windows,
or, as the Irishman expresses them, the iron glass
windows. Iron doublet; a prison. See STONE DOUBLET.
one's eyebrows; to look out of grated or prison windows,
or, as the Irishman expresses them, the iron glass
windows. Iron doublet; a prison. See STONE DOUBLET.
IRONMONGER'S SHOP. To keep an ironmonger's shop by
the side of a common, where the sheriff sets one up; to be
hanged in chains. Iron-bound; laced. An iron-bound
hat; a silver-laced hat.
the side of a common, where the sheriff sets one up; to be
hanged in chains. Iron-bound; laced. An iron-bound
hat; a silver-laced hat.
ISLAND. He drank out of the bottle till he saw the island;
the island is the rising bottom of a wine bottle, which
appears like an island in the centre, before the bottle is
quite empty.
the island is the rising bottom of a wine bottle, which
appears like an island in the centre, before the bottle is
quite empty.
IVORIES. Teeth. How the swell flashed his ivories; how
the gentleman shewed his teeth.
the gentleman shewed his teeth.
ITCHLAND, or SCRATCHLAND. Scotland.
IVY BUSH. Like an owl in an ivy bush; a simile for a
meagre or weasel-faced man, with a large wig, or very
bushy hair.
meagre or weasel-faced man, with a large wig, or very
bushy hair.
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Grose, Francis. 2004. 1881 Dictionary in the Vulgar Tongue. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved April 2022 from https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5402/pg5402.html
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